The Indian Space Research Organisation is looking at developing communication satellites in the higher frequency bands with about 15 kW of power and data handling capability in the range of 100 Giga bits per second, according to K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO.
Addressing the Convocation ceremony at BITS-Pilani Hyderabad here today, the ISRO Chief and Chairman of Space Commission, said that such satellites will have the capability to meet the growing demands in the country towards broadband internet, rural telecom connectivity among others.
He said such satellite systems would call for development of both satellite platform and payload technologies and ISRO is in the process of developing various technologies. It is also looking for a suitable foreign industrial alliance to acquire the technology and upgrade ISRO’s current satellite platforms to meet the future demand.
Radhakrishnan said several new satellites are planned to replace the ageing satellites, enhance the observation capability to the level of 0.25 m spatial resolution and also to provide new capability for imaging from geo-stationery orbit with 50 m spatial resolution.
ISRO is looking at next operational milestone of insertion of the Spacecraft into the Martian Orbit on September 14, 2014. If successful, India would be the first Asian country to orbit a Spacecraft around Planet Mars, and the first one to achieve in the first attempt.
During his address, he said, “ISRO is also partnering with jet propulsion laboratory of NASA to jointly realise a dual frequency microwave imaging satellite in the 2019-2020 time frame. In this scheme of alliance, ISRO is responsible for the overall satellite programme, S band Synthetic Aperture Radar and launch of satellite GSLV.”
The ISRO chief said, “A number of critical technologies are being developed for a possible human spaceflight in the future. A full scale, unmanned crew module is getting ready to be flown onboard the forthcoming experimental flight of GSLV-MkIII, to understand its ballistic re-entry characteristics.”
He said ISRO was determined to establish space research as a catalyst in fostering self-reliance in advanced technologies, facilitating creation of national wealth and establishing global leadership.
Speaking on winds of change, Chancellor Kumar Mangalam Birla, said changes in the Internet world and telephony are transforming people’s lives. “There are some things in life such as values that just don’t change. Your values are the core principles you live by,” he said.
During the convocation ceremony, 683 students were awarded their degrees, which included 589 undergraduate students, 91 higher degree and three doctorates.