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India to Join Exclusive Human Spaceflight Club

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on April 28, 2008
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Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G. Madhavan Nair said on Monday that his nation plans to send a two-person spacecraft into space by 2015.

“In seven years, we must have a manned flight after three successful unmanned flights,” he said. “A small core team is already working on it and in six months we should get full approval from the Centre.”

India will use an upgraded version of the Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle, which on Monday launched 10 satellites into polar orbit. The Asian Age has more about the launch and India’s plans for human space exploration and a robotic lunar rover.

A Busy Week for Launches in India, Russia and China

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An Indian PSLV rocket launched 10 - count ‘em 10 - satellites into orbit on Monday. The cargo included the Cartosat-2A remote sensing satellite, an Indian mini-sat, and eight foreign nano-sats. The Times of India has details.

Meanwhile, the folks at Sea Launch are celebrating their first successful takeoff from terra firma. A Land Launch Zenit-3SLB blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday carrying an Israeli communications satellite. The company is a joint venture between Sea Launch and Russia’s Space International Services. More details here.

In other news, the ever reliable Soyuz rocket orbited the second demonstration satellite for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system on Sunday. And a Chinese Long March rocket launched a data relay satellite on Friday that will support China’s human spaceflight program.

Fly Me to the Moon, Just Why Does it Cost So Much…

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on April 18, 2008
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A few updates on human space exploration from India, the United States, and Europe…

INDIA

Gov’t actively considering sending man into space: Chavan
The Hindu
“India is gearing up for the launch of its maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-I later this year and government is actively considering sending a man into space, Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan said.”

UNITED STATES

NASA: Budget’s tight, but the moon, Mars beckon
Miami Herald
NASA’s Shana Dale discusses the agency’s future plans for sending humans beyond LEO.

Constellation Challenges - test and flight schedules under pressure
NASASpaceFlight.com
Those trips may take longer than they think. “The latest internal workings are currently being implemented into the Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) schedule, which shows the threat of delays range through the entire schedule - from the Ares I-X test flight, all the way through to NASA’s return to the moon.”

Local astronaut says next stop is Mars
Muskegon Chronicle
West Michigan native David Leestma tells a group at the Grand Rapids Public Museum there’s nothing to stop us from heading to Mars.

Mars mission might be shelved because of cancer risks
The Mirror (UK)
Not so fast, says a recent Georgetown University Medical Center study that links prolonged space travel to premature aging and an increased risk of cancer. The National Research Council also recently released a report calling on NASA to do more research into radiation dangers before sending astronauts to the moon and Mars.

EUROPE

British astronauts may hit cash barrier in EU space programme
The Guardian
Although ESA has put out a call for more astronauts, British citizens’ best bet might be to pay to pay Richard Branson $200,000 for a flight aboard SpaceShipTwo. They’re not eligible because their government doesn’t contribute to ESA’s human spaceflight budget.

Demand for Europe space rethink
BBC News
It’s just as well, says Royal Society President Martin Reese. Europe shouldn’t be funding human spaceflight. The future lies with robots.

Royal Society president’s anti-astronaut comments sparks UK backlash
FlightGlobal.com
Lord Reese’s comments haven’t gone over well with everyone.

India Plans Human Spaceflight in 2015

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on April 7, 2008
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The Indian Space Research Organisation has developed plans for the country’s first human spaceflight in 2015, Hindu News reports.

“We have now finalized the project report on the manned mission. The report is going to the government. The government will have to review and take a decision soon,” ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said.

A successful launch would make India only the fourth nation with the capability to launch astronauts into orbit. The proposal comes amidst a general ramp-up in the Indian space program, which plans to launch about 70 space missions in the next five years, according to PressTV.

Indian Astronaut to Fly to ISS?

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on March 28, 2008
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The Times of India has a brief report indicating the country may send an astronaut to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The news follows a meeting between Russian and Indian space officials in Moscow. Negotiations are reported to be in the early stages.

In April 1984, India’s first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, flew aboard Soyuz T-11 to the Salyut 7 space station, where he spent 8 days.

Branson Promotes Space Tourism in India

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Doug
on March 15, 2008
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Sir Richard Branson was in India recently, promoting himself, his companies and space tourism. He sat down with NDTV with what appears to have been a fawning interviewer, at least according to the transcript:

NDTV: He is flamboyant. He is an adventure capitalist. And he makes a billion dollars before breakfast. Ladies and gentleman, in this special show, we have with us Sir Richard Branson.

Branson: You said I make billion dollars before breakfast. I think I’ll just won’t have breakfast the whole day.

The British mogul called India “one of the most exciting countries in the world at the moment. It’s a happening country.” He discussed many subjects, including his desire to set up a domestic Indian airline and his plans for Virgin Galactic.

Continue reading ‘Branson Promotes Space Tourism in India’

India Takes Step Toward Human Spaceflight, Space Station

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Doug
on February 29, 2008
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The Indian government has appropriated an additional $200 million for development of the country’s nascent human spaceflight program, according to the Hindustan Times.

The funding provided to the Indian Space Research Organisation includes a near 24 percent increase to the Department of Space, the newspaper reported. Part of the allocation goes to the Indian Institute for Space Technology under construction near Thiruvananthapuram.