Countdown for Chandrayaan-2 lift-off progressing smoothly
Chennai, July 14: The 20-hour countdown for the July 15 early morning lift-off of India''s heavy rocket nicknamed ''Bahubali'' carrying the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft is progressing smoothly, Indian space agency officials said.
"The countdown began at 6.51 a.m. on Sunday," K. Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), told.
Standing at about 44 metre tall, the 640-tonne rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-Mk III) is nicknamed ''Bahubali''. And just like the hero in the hit film by the same name lifted a heavy ''lingam'', the rocket will carry the 3.8 tonne Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.
About 16 minutes into its flight, the Rs 375 crore GSLV-Mk III rocket is expected to sling the Rs 603 crore Chandrayaan-2 into an Earth parking 170x40,400 km orbit.
From there, it will be a long journey to the moon for the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft carrying a lander called Vikram and a rover known as Pragyan.
The distance between the Earth and the moon is about 3.844 lakh km.
On September 6, the lander Vikram is expected to make a soft landing on the moon and then the rover Pragyan will roll out to carry out in-situ experiments.
During the countdown, the rocket and the spacecraft''s systems will undergo checks and fuel will be filled to power the rocket engines.
According to ISRO, filling of the liquid fuel in the Liquid Core Stage has been completed on Sunday.
GSLV-Mk III is designed to carry 4 tonne class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tonne to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is about twice the capability of GSLV Mk II.
The vehicle has two solid strap-on motors, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
To date, ISRO has sent up three GSLV-Mk III rockets.
The first one was on December 18, 2014, carrying the Crew Module Atmospheric Reentry Experiment. The second and third GSLV-Mk III went up on February 5, 2017 and November 14, 2018, carrying communication satellites GSAT-19 and GSAT-29, respectively.
Interestingly, GSLV-Mk III will also be used for India''s manned space mission slated in 2022.
12 hours to go...For the launch of #Chandrayaan2 onboard #GSLVMkIII-M1
— ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2019
Stay tuned for more updates... pic.twitter.com/yEmkmaJ9a1
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Inappropriate for MLAs seeking free IPL tickets, says D.K. Suresh
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Milk Union Ltd President D.K. Suresh on Monday said it is inappropriate for MLAs to seek free IPL tickets, adding that those interested in watching matches should pay for them personally.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, he said, “IPL is a commercial tournament and does not represent the country. It is not right for public representatives to focus too much on such matters.”
Referring to the recent controversy during the RCB celebrations, he said, “let us find out who benefited the most from the statements made during the incident.” He also pointed out that BJP MLAs had received IPL tickets as well.
Responding to discussions about relocating the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Suresh said the government has already approved the construction of a new stadium at a location he had proposed.
“I had suggested building a stadium in Surya City and submitted a proposal for it. Bengaluru needs four stadiums in four directions to cater to its growing population and encourage youth participation in sports,” he said.
He noted that apart from Kanteerava Stadium, KSCA, and the Football Stadium, there are limited facilities in the city.
“When I was a Lok Sabha member, I had proposed allocating 100 acres in my constituency at Surya City. The land was later earmarked and the plan approved,” he added.
Suresh said he has discussed the project with Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Chairman Shivalingegowda, and Anekal MLA Shivanna.
“The Cabinet has now approved the project, and a stadium will be developed on around 50–60 acres,” he said.
He further added that he has requested the Deputy Chief Minister to build another stadium at Shivarama Karanth Layout through the BDA, where 40 acres have been allocated. Plans are also being discussed to develop a well-equipped stadium in Bidadi.
Commending state government's recent bilingual policy move, Suresh said forcing children to learn three languages could affect their comprehension.
“It is a good decision to make two languages compulsory. Learning a third language should be left to the choice of students and parents,” he said.
Responding to criticism from BJP leaders, he said their tendency is to oppose every decision of the government.
“To please their central leadership, they take a pro-Hindi stance. Instead, they should advocate for the adoption of Kannada in all states,” he said.
When asked about the earlier three-language policy under Congress, he said, “the situation is different now. Today, the focus should be on quality learning. Kannada should remain the primary language, while students and parents can choose an additional language.”
