Mumbai, Feb 19: Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) is preparing to send a man into space to orbit around
the earth ahead of its more ambitious plans of moon and mars
missions in future.
"This is a step in the direction of future plans of ISRO
to send man to the planetary targets like moon and mars," a
top ISRO scientist said today.
"Currently, there is no plan to send a man to moon by
ISRO. But we are preparing ourself to send a man to the space
to orbit around earth and bring him back after few days,"
Mylswamy Annadurai, ISRO's project director for Chandrayaan-1,
told from Bangalore.
Chandrayaan-1, India's first unmanned moon mission, is
expected to be launched early next year.
"The efforts to send man is to acquire the required
technologies for a human space mission. Initial phase has
started to synergise the required efforts for the same,"
Annadurai said.
"Once we succeed in our effort, the next incremental step
will be to look for the planetary targets like moon, mars."
"If an Indian has to go to the moon, then that depends on
what data we gather from Chandrayaan-1 and possibly another
unmanned mission to moon, Chandrayaan-2," he said.
If resources (data) substantiate the requirement for
human presence on the moon or mars, "then we will be ready for
it," the scientist said.
One of the key objectives of Chandrayaan-1 is to search
for potential deposits of helium-3 -- envisioned as a fuel for
future fusion reactors. Chandrayaan-1 "will provide for more
than five years of continuous observation of the moon," the
scientist noted.
"We are taking one step at a time. Direction for the next
step depends on what we gather from the previous experience.
Chandrayaan-1 and 2 will lay the foundation for next step in
space exploration," Annadurai said.
"In planetary space science, the money involved is a bit
high but the returns are immensely useful though they are not
visible immediately. At ISRO, we are fully accountable to the
money that is being spent (on projects)," he stated.
About Chandrayaan mission schedule, Annadurai said the
launch is slated for early 2008.
"We have technically targeted three/four launch dates. I
am aiming for a launch not later than March-end or early April
2008.
"Currently, we are on schedule with a 30-day schedule
margin, leading to March 2008 launch," he said adding, all
systems and instruments are getting ready for the flight
integration.
"Unlike other satellite launches, it is difficult to have
daily launch opportunity for a moon mission. We need a
particular moon geometry from earth to have optimal mission
mode and ISRO is fully geared to meet this challenge,"
Annadurai said.
Bureau Report