PTI Mumbai Jan 17: India’s first science satellite ‘Astrosat’, which is scheduled to be launched in 2007, will be open to international observers, Rajya Sabha MP and former chairman Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr K Kasturirangan said here today.
The Astrosat, weighing more than 1.6 tonne is planned to be placed in an orbit of 560 km at inclination less than 18 degrees, Dr Kasturirangan said while inaugurating the Cospar (Committee of space research) colloquium on ‘Spectra and timing of compact X-ray binaries’, being held in India for the first time.
“Needless to emphasise, in keeping with traditions of international cooperation, the observatory will be open to international observers,†he said adding that Canada has already shown interest in using the country’s first multi-wavelength satellite for astronomy.
Dr Kasturirangan said Cospar is being held at a time when India is poised to take such major steps as Astrosat and Chandrayan-I (moon missions).
Explaining to international scientists about India’s own heritage in the field of high energy astronomy, he said, the first efforts in space science dates back to early 1940s.
The work on X-ray, gamma-ray and infra-red astronomy and solar system studies over the decades has culminated in Astrosat and the niche areas that Astrosat would be addressing include long duration temporal and spectra studies of variable sources, highest angular resolution ultra-violet survey, simultaneous broad band spectrum and simultaneous timings at multi-wavelengths of galactic and extra galactic objects, he said.
Dr Kasturirangan said: “Unlike the western counterparts, who were giving importance to ever-increasing sensitivity and resolution through successive generations of X-ray detectors flown in space crafts, we will be following the Japanese model with specific and focused mission on imaging, spectral resolution and X-ray sources in cosmos.â€
On Chandrayan, India’s moon mission, he said it was expected to be launched in 2008 and “we are planning for step by step missions. Once established, we could become international partner on interplanetary missionsâ€.
For the first time in the history of space exploration, India is hosting a major international conference under the auspices of the Paris-based international organisation Cospar at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
