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ISRO to launch six Singapore satellites in Dec

By PANKAJ BORTHAKUR

JORHAT, Nov 28 - Setting another milestone, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is going to launch six satellites of Singapore in December this year through the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) on a commercial basis, said ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar while talking to this correspondent today.

During an interaction at the Kaziranga University here, Kumar, a Padma Shri awardee, also said the ISRO is going to launch three more satellites between January and March next year through the Indian Regional Navigation System, which will complete the �constellation of seven satellite accessories for the regional navigation system.�

The ISRO is concentrating more on increasing its satellite launch capacity and providing advanced facilities for geo-monitoring and governance. Foreign currencies will be earned from the satellite launching facilities.

On the other future ISRO missions, the Chairman said there is ongoing work on a series of earth observation satellites and also on Chandrayaan 2. �Unlike our previous mission, Chandrayaan 2 will carry a lander and rover,� said the distinguished space scientist.

Chandrayaan 2 will be an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan 1 Mission to the moon. Chandrayaan 2 has been configured as a two module system comprising an Orbiter Craft (OC) module and a Lander Craft (LC) module carrying the rover developed by the ISRO. Both the modules are interfaced mechanically by an inter-module adapter.

Highlighting the ISRO�s latest contributions to various systems of earth observation, navigation, disaster management, Kumar, who is also the Secretary of the Central Government�s Department of Space, said that the Prime Minister recently had a meeting with the secretaries of various Central Government departments and State governments, which mainly focused on the application of space science in governance and monitoring.

Following the meeting, more and more Central Government departments including Culture and Tourism, Posts, etc., are coming forward to use space technology and space-based tools for preserving many of the 4,000 heritage sites of the country.

It was the first visit of the ISRO Chairman to Jorhat where he was honoured with a honorary doctorate degree by the Kaziranga University today during its second convocation programme.

The noted space scientist, who made immense contributions to the design and development of electro-optical imaging sensors for airborne, low earth orbit and geostationary orbit satellites starting from Bhaskara TV payload to the latest Mars Colour Camera, Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer and Methane Sensor for Mars instruments of India�s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, said many other important subjects like the development of cryogenic engines for the successful launch of geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mark III) would be taken up, possibly in December 2016.

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