The day your flight lands on time during a foggy Delhi winter, you really can thank the stars — and the team at the Indian Space Research Organization.
This afternoon, they’ll be launching a satellite that will eventually help aircrafts land safely even in very low visibility and with much less reliance on ground air-traffic controllers.
The satellite launch, if successful, will also smooth the way to set up an Indian equivalent to the U.S.-developed Global Positioning System (GPS). The launch marks a new stage in India’s space science development, because for the first time the space agency will be using cryogenic stage technology developed in the country, rather than imported from Russia.
For those of you who have only heard the word “cryogenic” in an Austin Powers movie, yes, it does involve freezing — and then some. A cryogenic engine derives its immense power from fuels at temperatures that are minus 250 degree Centigrade. India’s space scientists had to create new alloys to build the engine since normal metals become brittle and crack at such low temperatures.
“This would lead to entire self-sustenance on space technology for the India,” said Satish, a spokesman for the agency who goes by only one name.
A rocket launch is usually propelled by multiple “stages,” or sections of the rocket containing separate engines that fall away when their fuel is exhausted.
The April 15 launch from Sriharikota, an island off India’s southeastern coast, is being fueled by three stages — the first two are propelled by liquid fuels but the third critical stage requires the cryogenic engine to put the satellite in the right orbit.
If the tests of the engine go well with Thursday’s launch it would result in “substantial savings,” for future space missions by India, the spokesman said.
The rockets will carry a second satellite as well that will help provide high-speed Internet and data access, he added.
The effort took 250 people a decade and a half, and when complete will have cost an estimated 7.74 billion rupees ($175 million), according to the government.follow @WSJIndia