ISRO Reveals its Big Plans

Over the coming years, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will go through an intense enhancement process. At a press conference in Bengaluru, last Saturday, ISRO Chairman, K.Radhakrishnan revealed his enhancement plans for ISRO.

Soaring ambitions..

Among the plans, plans to double the number of transponders take front seat. At present, there are about 151 transponders in its possession, and ISRO plans to add 150 more to that number in the near future. ISRO has leased about 86 transponders from foreign satellite operators. Also, plans of a hypersonic wind tunnel, as also a plasma wind tunnel are in the pipeline. The hypersonic wind tunnel would be used to research on re-entry, whereas the plasma wind tunnel would observe the behavior of materials at great speeds. These tunnels would be set up at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Research Centre, Trivandrum.

 A thrust chamber testing facility for high-thrust cryogenic engines would some come up in Mahendragiri. Whereas, good old Sriharikota will see a new mission control centre come up, soon. ISRO plans to set up an emergency management and a multi-mission space observatory centre in Hyderabad, and a advanced research and development centre for spacecrafts in Chitradurga.