BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is pushing its next PSLV Launch to first week of January 2018 from the scheduled second half of this year.

Talking to newsmen here, ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said that the launch, carrying 30 satellites, including the lead spacecraft, Cartosat will take place either during the last week of December or early January.

ISRO suffered a setback in its workhorse launcher PSLV when the previous launch PSLV C39 mission was unsuccessful on August 31 due to failure of the opening up of the heat shield.

The launcher was carrying IRNSS 1H payload that had been built in collaboration with private sector.

Dr Kiran Kumar indicated that ISRO would push far atleast one launch a month during 2018.

Referring to Chandrayan-2 Mission, he said that the work on realising the satellite was in full swing. The launch is likely to take place by the middle of next year. ISRO would also use PSLV to launch a private lunar mission being carried out by Team Indus.

The date of the launch is yet to be decided for this private launch, Dr Kiran kumar indicated.

Referring to the recent interaction with the Industry in New Delhi at a conference jointly held with FICCI, Dr Kiran Kumar said that with increasing missions, ISRO was keen to involve a large segment of the industry not only to realise domestic requirements, but also to explore opportunities global space market. He said similar dialogue was being held with members of other industrial bodies also.

With regard to the draft Space Activities Bill that had been floated for public opinion, he said a definite time line could not be indicated for enacting the legislation. The process has just began and various milestones need to be crossed.

He said that ISRO had sought the government for a substantial raise in its budget for the next two financial years in view of an array of missions programmed. He did not mention the quantum of amount.

Earlier Dr Kiran Kumar inaugurated the Space Technology Gallery at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum here and urged the students to take up Space research as a vocation. He said the country had made several strides in Space research not only as pure research activity but also for development of the country.

He said the entire world was looking towards India for its successful space forays and mentioned that the video of ISRO’s launch of 104 satellites was seen by more than 1.5 lakh viewers in 100 countries within a day after launch.

Former ISRO Chairman and National Education Policy Committee Chairman Dr K Kasturirangan stressed the need for the next generation to explore space as opportunities and facilities were on the increase with enhanced technological developments.

This would enable to unravel the mystry of the Universe at a greater depth than what was being done at present, he added.

National Council for Science Museums Director General A S Manekar said a similar space technology gallery would be set up in New Delhi also.

(AGENCIES)