The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) may go in for a more sophisticated sequel to the Mars mission by 2016 if the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is ready and proven by then, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director S Ramakrishnan said.
“The project is not yet approved. But we are planning a second mission to Mars with a more powerful launch vehicle in two years. The GSLV will be ready by then and also the GSLV Mk-III version,” he said. The second mission, unlike the first, will have a lander. The final clearance to the mega project will depend on the feedback received from the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) which is on its way to the Red Planet at present, he said. ISRO had to be satisfied with a modest payload on MOM as it had to depend on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for the mission’s launch. A prototype of the crew capsule that will be used for ISRO’s future manned space flight will be tested aboard the GSLV Mk-III, the heftiest rocket to be built in the country, before April 2014, he said.
‘GSLV’ Set for Jan 5 Launch
T’Puram: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now planning for a January 5, 2014, launch for the delayed GSLV-D5 mission fitted with the Made-in-India cryogenic stage, ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan said here on Friday.