Challenges in Contemporary Spaceflight
In today's spaceflight endeavors, balancing cost, reliability, and time is complex and imperative. This balance is especially challenging in light of recent failures like the PSLV-C61 mission by ISRO.
PSLV-C61 Mission Overview
- The mission aimed to launch the EOS-09 satellite into a sun-synchronous polar orbit.
Purpose of EOS-09:
- To produce high-quality radar images for civilian uses such as land-use mapping and hydrology studies
- To support defense surveillance with its all-weather synthetic aperture radar and a C-band data-link.
- The mission failure was due to a glitch in the vehicle’s third stage, preventing the satellite from reaching its intended altitude.
Strategic Importance
The failure underscores the reliance on space-based surveillance, especially in military contexts, against the backdrop of regional tensions.
Space-Based Surveillance-3 Programme
- India plans to launch 52 surveillance satellites under this program.
- 31 satellites are to be built by the private sector, which still requires ISRO’s oversight.
Operational Challenges
- Small errors in rocket components can lead to mission failure, impacting both cost and reliability.
- Time is a pressing factor due to the need for enhanced surveillance and climate data.
Resource Allocation
The PSLV-C61 failure, along with the earlier NVS-02 navigation satellite failure, highlights the need for increased resources to ensure ISRO can meet military and civilian needs in a competitive industry.
Conclusion
The cumulative demands of an expanding launch schedule, R&D, and the human spaceflight program suggest that bolstering ISRO's resources is vital for maintaining its mission capabilities.
