ISRO’s Post-Chandrayaan-3 Missions
- August 24, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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ISRO’s Post-Chandrayaan-3 Missions
Subject: Science and Technology
Section: Space technology
Introduction:
- ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation, has an array of ambitious missions lined up after the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission.
- These endeavors span various aspects of space exploration and observation, showcasing ISRO’s commitment to advancing space technology.
Mission to Study the Sun (Aditya-L1)
- Launching in early September.
- Space-based solar observatory.
- Positioned in a halo orbit around the L1 (Lagrange) point of the Sun-Earth system.
- Provides continuous observation of solar activities.
- Enhances understanding of space weather and solar phenomena.
- Lagrange point:
- A Lagrange point is a spot in space where the gravitational forces of two objects balance out, creating a stable position for another object to stay in their relative vicinity.
NASA-ISRO Earth Observation Satellite (NISAR)
- Collaboration with NASA.
- Launch expected in the next year into polar sun-synchronous dawn-dusk orbit.
- Equipped with synthetic aperture radar
- Monitors Earth’s land and ice surfaces.
- Offers detailed insights into climate change, deforestation, glacial melt, and geological events.
- Regular observations every 12 days contribute to understanding global dynamics.
First Manned Space Flight (Gaganyaan)
- Aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability.
- Crew of three members to be sent into 400 km orbit for the 3-day mission.
- Preceded by two unmanned missions to validate systems.
- The initial launch was delayed due to the pandemic.
Mission to Study X-Ray Sources (XPoSat)
- ISRO’s first dedicated polarimetry mission.
- Will be launched into a Low earth orbit
- Focuses on understanding X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
- Launch planned for late 2023 or early 2024.
- Aims to comprehend emission mechanisms from black holes, neutron stars, and pulsar wind nebulae.
Additional Plans
- Launch of climate observation satellite INSAT-3DS.
- Test vehicle mission to validate crew escape system for Gaganyaan.