Date:01/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/02/01/stories/2005020102461900.htm

Back ECIL to develop antenna system for moon mission

Our Bureau

Dr G. Madhavan Nair, Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation, and the INSARM President, Mr M.K. Abdul Majeed, at a function in Hyderabad on Monday. - Mohammed Yousuf

Hyderabad , Jan. 31

ELECTRONICS Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) will design, develop and install the Deep Space Network (DSN) antenna system, which will play a key role in the country's ambitious moon project — Chandrayaan.

ECIL will work with ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai to indigenously develop the 34-inch diameter antenna and other critical sub-systems for DSN.

DSN is being located on the outskirts of Bangalore and necessary land is being acquired, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, Dr G. Madhavan Nair, told newspersons here on Monday.

ECIL will establish the facility on a turnkey basis. It will be an important feature in future inter-planetary missions, according to an ECIL press release.

The design aspects for the Chandrayaan mission have been completed. The development process for new equipment is underway and the mission will be on schedule, Dr Nair said.

European Space Agency and NASA are likely to participate with payloads.

At a press conference organised as part of the International Workshop on Aerospace Mechanisms, Dr Nair said China had shown some interest in sourcing imagery from the Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS).

ISRO will launch a cartography application, 2.5-metre resolution IRS satellite by the end of March or early April on a PSLV from Sriharikota.

The launch of Insat 4B is also scheduled later this year.

As for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, the flight with the indigenous engine Kaveri is slated for the middle of 2006. Subsequently, we will have one launch per year, the ISRO Chairman said.