Today Indian rocket (PSLV-C19 )successfully launched into orbit a microwave Radar Imaging Satellite (Risat-1) from the spaceport here in Andhra Pradesh, some 80 km from Chennai. With the launch of Risat-1, India has now joined a select group of nations who possess such technology.

The indigenously built Risat-1, with a life span of five years, will be used for disaster prediction and agriculture forestry. The high resolution pictures and microwave imaging from Risat-1 could also be used for defence purposes as it can look through the clouds and fog.

Jugnu, a nano-satellite built by IIT, Kanpur, is India’s first indigenously designed nano-satellite to be successfully placed into its orbit. It was launched on October 12, 2011 by PSLV-C18).

NASA’s Launch Schedule features the planned dates and details for missions by NASA and the partner nations in the International Space Station Program, including Russia, European Space Agency and Japan. To learn more about how the schedule is arranged and what it includes, check out Launch Schedule 101.

2011 Launches

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Date: Oct. 25
Mission: NPP
Launch Vehicle: Delta II
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2W
Launch Window: 2:48:01 a.m. – 2:57:11 a.m. PDT / 5:48:01 a.m. – 5:57:11 a.m. EDT
Description: The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) mission for NASA and NOAA is to measure Earth’s atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological activity and cloud and aerosol properties.

Date: Oct. 30
Assembly Flight: 45P
Mission: ISS Progress 45
Launch Vehicle: Russian Soyuz Rocket
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: International Space Station resupply.

Date: Nov. 14
Assembly Flight: 28S
Mission: Expedition 29/30
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-22
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-22 will carry three Expedition 29/30 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: Nov. 25 *
Mission: Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity Rover
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Time: 10:21 a.m. EST
Description: The Mars Science Laboratory is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life and to determine the planet’s habitability.

Date: Nov. 30 *
Mission: SpaceX
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9/Dragon
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 40
Description: NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights. If approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the International Space Station for a docking.

Date: Dec. 26 +
Assembly Flight: 29S
Mission: Expedition 30/31
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-03M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-03M will carry three Expedition 30/31 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: December +
Mission: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch Vehicle: Taurus II
Launch Site: Wallops Flight Facility
Launch Pad: 0A
Description: The Taurus II is scheduled for a test flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement with the company.

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2012 Launches

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Date: February +
Mission: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch Vehicle: Cygnus/Taurus II
Launch Site: Wallops Flight Facility
Launch Pad: 0A
Description: The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled for a demonstration flight on an Orbital Taurus II launch vehicle under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement with the company.

Date: Feb. 3
Mission: NuSTAR
Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL
Launch Site: Kwajalein Atoll
Description: The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is an Explorer mission that will allow astronomers to study the universe in high energy X-rays.

Date: March +
Assembly Flight: 30S
Mission: Expedition 31/32
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-04M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-04M will carry three Expedition 31/32 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 3R
Mission: Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA)
Launch Vehicle: Russian Proton
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: A Russian Proton rocket will deliver the Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA) to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 31S
Mission: Expedition 32/33
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-05M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-05M will carry three Expedition 32/33 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: June
Mission: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K (TDRS-K)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Description: The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services.

Date: Aug. 23 *
Mission: RBSP
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-401
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Description: The Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission will help us understand the Sun’s influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time.

Date: October +
Assembly Flight: 32S
Mission: Expedition 33/34
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-06M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-06M will carry three Expedition 33/34 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: November +
Assembly Flight: 33S
Mission: Expedition 34/35
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-07M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-07M will carry three Expedition 34/35 crew members to the International Space Station.

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2013 Launches

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Date: March +
Assembly Flight: 34S
Mission: Expedition 35/36
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-08M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-08M will carry three Expedition 35/36 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 35S
Mission: Expedition 36/37
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-09M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description:Soyuz TMA-09M will carry three Expedition 36/37 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: September +
Assembly Flight: 36S
Mission: Expedition 37/38
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-10M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-10M will carry three Expedition 37/38 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: November +
Assembly Flight: 37S
Mission: Expedition 38/39
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-11M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-11M will carry three Expedition 38/39 crew members to the International Space Station.

The first successful U.S. satellite, Explorer I, was launched into Earth orbit by the Army on Jan. 31, 1958, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, four months after Russia orbited Sputnik. The 18-pound satellite had a cylindrical shape and was 80 inches long and six inches in diameter.

Explorer I’s small package of instruments produced the first major discovery of the Space Age—The Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth. Explorer I burned up in the atmosphere on March 30, 1970.

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility that is being assembled in low Earth orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled for completion by late 2011. The station is expected to remain in operation until at least 2015, and likely 2020. With a greater cross-sectional area than that of any previous space station, the ISS can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.

The ISS is by far the largest artificial satellite that has ever orbited Earth. The ISS serves as a research laboratory that has a microgravity environment in which crews conduct experiments in biology, chemistry, medicine, physiology and physics, as well as astronomical and meteorological observations. The station provides a unique environment for the testing of the spacecraft systems that will be required for missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS is operated by Expedition crews of six astronauts and cosmonauts, with the station programme maintaining an uninterrupted human presence in space since the launch of Expedition 1 on 31 October 2000, a total of 10 years and 135 days. The programme thus holds the current record for the longest uninterrupted human presence in space, surpassing the previous record of 3,644 days, set aboard Mir. As of 27 February 2011 (2011 -02-27)[update], the crew of Expedition 26 is aboard.

Indian Space Programme

Space Study ,Space Activities in India  and ISRO

Space activities in India started during early 1960s with the scientific investigation of upper atmosphere and ionosphere over the magnetic equator that passes over Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram
using small sounding rockets Realising the immense potential of space technology for national development, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary leader envisioned that this powerful technology could play a meaningful role in national development and solving the problems of common man.

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), a few meters from the coastline,St Mary Magdalene Church

Thus, Indian Space programme born in the church beginning, space activities in the country, concentrated on achieving self reliance and developing capability to build and launch communication satellites for television broadcast, telecommunications and meteorological applications; remote sensing satellites for management of natural resources.
The objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and its application to various national tasks. ISRO has established two major space systems, INSAT for communication, television broadcasting and meteorological services, and Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) system for resources monitoring and management. ISRO has developed two satellite launch vehicles, PSLV and GSLV, to place INSAT and IRS satellites in the required orbits
Accordingly, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully operationalised two major satellite systems namely Indian National Satellites (INSAT) for communication services and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for management of natural resources; also, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for launching IRS type of satellites and Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for launching INSAT type of satellites.
The Space Commission formulates the policies and oversees the implementation of the Indian space programme to promote the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country. DOS implements these programmes through, mainly Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) and Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL). The Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 as a government owned company, markets the space products and services.

Space Tribute :Indian space programme driven by vision of
Dr Vikram Sarabhai considered as the father of Indian Space Programme.

source : www.isro.org

Black hole

According to the general theory of relativity, a black hole is a region of space from which nothing, including light, can escape. It is the result of the deformation of spacetime caused by a very compact mass. Around a black hole there is an undetectable surface which marks the point of no return, called an event horizon. It is called “black” because it absorbs all the light that hits it, reflecting nothing, just like a perfect black body in thermodynamics. Under the theory of quantum mechanics black holes possess a temperature and emit Hawking radiation.

An asteroid is like a planet, but smaller. The name “asteroid” means “like a star” in the ancient Greek language. Asteroids may look like small stars in the sky, but they really do move around the Sun, while stars only seem to move because the Earth spins. Like planets, asteroids do not make their own light. Because of this, some people think “asteroids” is not a good name, and think that the name “planetoid” (“like a planet”) would be a better name.

Most asteroids are made of rock, but some are made of ice or metal. Most asteroids in our Solar System are in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Moon / Planet               KM          MILES

Ganymade(Jupiter)       5262.4     3,269.9

Titan (saturn)                   5150.0      3200.1

Callisto(Jupiter)             4820.6     2995.4

LO (Jupiter)                     3642.6      2995.4

Moon (Earth)                   3476.2      2160.0