REPORT ON INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO ISRO
On the 11th Sep 2015, the department of Electronics and Instrumentation & Mechatronics Engineering had organized an industrial visit for B.E students, who were accompanied by G P Sivakumar, Asst Prof, S.S.Saravana Kumar, Asst Prof, G.Subramanian, Sr. Lab Instructor of the department.
The Sriharikota Range, the Satellite Launching Station of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), popularly known as SHAR is situated on an island off Sullurupeta - a small town in Nellore district, of the state Andhra Pradesh.
The journey commenced at around 5.15 am from Kanchipuram. The bus stopped at Red Hills at around 7.30 for breakfast. We reached SDSC SHAR at around 9.30 am and after several security checks and administrative formalities, we were taken to a central building. In this place, we were shown a video – ‘Gateway to Space’ - on the ISRO, its history, and the current facilities available. After the video, questions were fielded to the official, and they were answered with ease.
The GSLV and PSLV are the two launch vehicles used currently by ISRO to launch satellites into the geo synchronous and polar orbits respectively. The GSLV has 3 stages – the first is a solid (fuel) stage, the second a liquid (fuel) stage and the third is a cryogenic stage. The satellites launched so far have applications such as National development/infrastructure, telecom, disaster warnings, resource management, etc.
The PSLV can launch multiple satellites simultaneously at a low cost and high reliability. The various facilities at SDSC were listed and their functions explained in brief. Weather prediction is another important factor at the time of launch, and the SHAR boasts of this facility too.
The activities at SHAR are grouped under vehicle assembly and static test operations, range operations, liquid storage and service facilities and, solid propellant space booster plant.
GSLV-D6 is the ninth flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). It is also the fifth developmental flight of GSLV. This is the third time the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is being carried on-board during a GSLV flight. GSLV-D6 flight is significant since it intends to continue the testing of CUS. GSLV is designed to inject 2 ton class of communication satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).GSLV-D6 was launched from the Second Launch Pad at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota on 27.08.2015.
The following technical details were given: The strap on motors, their dimensions and use were elucidated. The countdown begins at (t-57) hours. At this time, the liquid propellants are filled into the system. At (t-16) hours, the mobile service car is withdrawn and the system is connected to the Launch and Mission control centre (which are placed 6km from the launch site) through electrical wires only. The cryogenic fuel is set around the launch site. The mission director and other senior scientists assemble at the Mission Control Centre. The computer networks do the complex calculations, and other details like mission safety are all displayed. At (t-6) seconds, the strap on motors ignite, and the solid boosters ignite next at t=0. The performance is monitored in real time. High precision radars are used to track the vehicle right from lift off to satellite injection. Such radars are present in Port Blair, Mauritius, and Indonesia for real time monitoring. At about 17 minutes after blast off, the GSLV completes the mission – puts the satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
The students and staff members have enjoyed the technical endeavor at both the organizations a lot. Visit seems to be very informative and gives good learning experience.
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