ISRO's Upcoming Mega Missions after the Success of Chandrayaan-3

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will continue to work on its ambitious space exploration program following Chandrayaan-3's successful landing on Moon’s South Pole. Under the ISRO's radar, there are many upcoming missions and initiatives: Primarily the investigation of the Sun's corona by the Aditya-L1 mission. Here are some of ISRO's upcoming missions:

 

Aditya-L1 - Mission SUN 

 

Aditya L1 is a first-of-its-kind Indian solar mission that will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system with an Expected cost of Rs 378 crore. This orbit is about 1.5 million km from Earth, and it allows for continuous viewing of the Sun without any occultation or eclipse. This will provide a significant advantage for studying solar activity.

 

The Aditya L1 spacecraft carries seven payloads that will use electromagnetic and particle detectors to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and outermost layers of the Sun (the corona). Four of these payloads will directly view the Sun from the L1 vantage point, while the remaining three will carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at L1. The Aditya L1 payloads are expected to provide crucial information about a number of solar phenomena, including coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, space weather dynamics, and the propagation of particles and fields in the interplanetary medium. This information will help scientists to better understand the Sun and its impact on Earth.

 

MAIN OBJECTIVES:

1. To study the physics of the solar corona and its heating mechanism
2. To study the initiation and evolution of coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
3. To study the dynamics of the solar wind
4. To study the origin and evolution of space weather

NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) Satellite Mission  

NISAR is a joint mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will be used to study Earth's surface and subsurface. NISAR will be the first satellite to use dual frequencies, which will allow it to see changes in Earth's surface that are not visible with single-frequency SAR. The target launch readiness date is January 2024 with an Expected cost of $1.5 billion (approx. 12,296 crore).

 

NISAR will be able to measure changes in Earth's surface as small as a few centimeters. This will allow scientists to study a wide range of Earth processes, including:

 

Land deformation: NISAR can be used to measure the movement of Earth's crust, which can be caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, and other events.

Ice sheet change: NISAR can be used to measure the loss of ice from Earth's ice sheets, which is a significant contributor to sea level rise.

Forest cover: NISAR can be used to measure changes in forest cover, which can be affected by deforestation, forest fires, and other factors.

Natural disasters: NISAR can be used to monitor natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides.

Human activities: NISAR can be used to study the impact of human activities on Earth's surface, such as agriculture, urbanization, and mining.

 

NISAR is scheduled to launch in 2023. It will operate in a low Earth orbit and will collect data for at least 5 years. The data collected by NISAR will be made available to scientists around the world, and it will be used to improve our understanding of Earth and its processes.

 

SPADEX Mission 

 

SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) is a twin spacecraft mission being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to mature technologies related to orbital rendezvous, docking, and formation flying, with the scope of applications in human spaceflight, in-space satellite servicing, and other proximity operations.

 

SPADEX consists of two IMS class (200 kg) satellites; one would be Chaser and the other being target and both would be launched as co-passengers or auxiliary payloads. Both spacecraft would be injected into slightly different orbits.

 

The Chaser spacecraft will autonomously rendezvous and dock with the Target spacecraft. The two spacecraft will then be controlled as one unit, and the Chaser spacecraft will perform a number of formation-flying maneuvers. SPADEX is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2024. It will be a critical step in developing the technologies needed for future human spaceflight missions and in-space servicing missions.

 

The SPADEX mission will demonstrate the following technologies: 

1. Autonomous rendezvous and docking
2. Controlling one spacecraft with the Attitude Control System of other spacecraft while in docked configuration
3. Formation flying
4. Remote robotic arm operations

 

The SPADEX mission is a significant milestone in India's space program. It will demonstrate the country's capabilities in spacecraft docking and formation flying, which are essential for future human spaceflight missions. The data collected by SPADEX will also be used to improve the design of future spacecraft and space stations.

 

Mission Mangalyaan-2 

 

Mission Mangalyaan-2 is a planned second interplanetary mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It will be a follow-up to the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which was India's first Mars mission. Mission Mangalyaan-2 will consist of an orbiter only, and the planned lander and rover were canceled. The orbiter will use aerobraking to lower its initial apoapsis and enter into an orbit more suitable for scientific observations.

The mission is scheduled to launch in 2024 and will arrive at Mars in 2025. It will orbit Mars for at least one Martian year (687 Earth days).

 

The mission's scientific objectives include: 

1. Studying the Martian atmosphere and climate
2. Studying the Martian surface and subsurface
3. Searching for signs of past or present life on Mars

 

Mission Mangalyaan-2 is a major milestone in India's space program. It will demonstrate the country's capabilities in interplanetary missions and will help to further our understanding of Mars.

 

Here are some of the instruments that will be carried by the Mission Mangalyaan-2 orbiter:

1. A multispectral imager to image the Martian surface and atmosphere
2. A thermal infrared imager to study the Martian surface temperature
3. A methane sensor to search for signs of methane in the Martian atmosphere
4. A dust sensor to study the Martian dust
5. A magnetometer to study the Martian magnetic field

 

Mission Mangalyaan-2 is an exciting mission that will help us to learn more about Mars. I am looking forward to seeing what it discovers!

 

Gaganyaan Mission - First Human Space Mission

 

India's first human space mission, Gaganyaan, is scheduled to launch in 2024. The mission will consist of three stages:

G1 Mission: This unmanned mission will launch in the fourth quarter of 2023. It will test the spacecraft's systems and procedures in low Earth orbit.

G2 Mission: This second unmanned mission will launch in the second quarter of 2024. It will further test the spacecraft's systems and procedures, and it will also conduct experiments in space.

H1 Mission: This final mission will launch in the fourth quarter of 2024. It will carry a crew of three Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit. The astronauts will conduct experiments in space and will also spend about three days in orbit.

 

The Gaganyaan mission is a major milestone in India's space program. It will demonstrate the country's capabilities in human spaceflight and will help to further India's role in the global space community.

 

Here are some additional details about the Gaganyaan mission:

1. The spacecraft will be launched by India's GSLV Mk III launch vehicle.
2. The spacecraft will be equipped with a life support system, a propulsion system, and a communication system.
3. The astronauts will be trained at the Gaganyaan Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru, India.
4. The Gaganyaan mission is expected to cost around ₹100 billion (US$1.3 billion).

The Gaganyaan mission is a significant achievement for India. It will help to boost India's scientific and technological capabilities, and it will also inspire young people in India to pursue careers in science and engineering.

 

Shukrayaan 1 - Mission VENUS 

 

Shukrayaan 1 is a planned orbiter mission to Venus by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is scheduled to launch in December 2024. The mission's objectives include: 

1. Studying the surface and atmosphere of Venus
2. Searching for signs of life on Venus
3. Studying the history of Venus
4. Understanding the evolution of Venus
5. Characterizing the environment of Venus for future human exploration

The Shukrayaan 1 orbiter will carry a number of scientific instruments, including:

1. A high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to image the surface of Venus
2. A ground-penetrating radar to study the subsurface of Venus
3. An ultraviolet spectrometer to study the atmosphere of Venus
4. A visible and infrared camera to study the surface and atmosphere of Venus
5. A magnetometer to study the magnetic field of Venus

The Shukrayaan 1 mission is a major milestone in India's space program. It will be the first Indian mission to Venus and will help to further our understanding of this mysterious planet.

 

Here are some additional details about the Shukrayaan 1 mission:

1. The orbiter will be launched by India's GSLV Mk II launch vehicle.
2. The orbiter will weigh about 500 kilograms and will have a lifespan of about one year.
3. The orbiter will orbit Venus in a near-polar orbit.

 

The orbiter will conduct a number of experiments, including:

1. Imaging the surface of Venus at high resolution
2. Studying the subsurface of Venus with ground-penetrating radar
3. Studying the atmosphere of Venus with an ultraviolet spectrometer
4. Studying the surface and atmosphere of Venus with a visible and infrared camera
5. Studying the magnetic field of Venus with a magnetometer

The Shukrayaan 1 mission is a significant achievement for India. It will help to boost India's scientific and technological capabilities, and it will also inspire young people in India to pursue careers in science and engineering.