Bengaluru, Jan 3: India has planned 32 missions, including the "most complex" Chandrayaan-2 during 2019, the Indian Space Research Organisation has said.
India's maiden human spaceflight programme 'Gaganyaan' activities would go full steam to accomplish the various development and qualification milestones during the year, the space agency said.
"The year 2019 promises to be much more challenging to the ISRO community with 32 planned missions (14 launch vehicles, 17 satellites and 1 Tech demo missions)," ISRO Chairman K Sivan said in a New Year message.
"This includes the most complex Chandrayaan-2, which will be the 25th mission from SLP (second launch pad), and the development flights of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)," he said.
ISRO had earlier said Chandrayaan-2 will be launched in a window from January-February 16, 2019.
Sources said it is expected by the middle of next month but no date has been finalised.
"We are all trying hard. Definitely, it should be possible to launch the mission in February," a senior ISRO official told PTI.
"There is no impediment. It's on track," the official said.
Chandrayaan-2 mission, costing nearly Rs 800 crore, is an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission about 10 years ago.
This spacecraft to be launched on board GSLV-Mk III is a totally indigenous mission, comprising an Orbiter, Lander and Rover.
Sivan said during the year, Gaganyaan activities would go "full steam" to accomplish the various development and qualification milestones.
The Union Cabinet gave its nod for the Rs 9,023-crore programme last Friday.
The objective of the mission is to carry a three-member crew to low earth orbit and return them safely to a predefined destination on earth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Independence Day announced that the mission would be undertaken by 2022.
ISRO is aiming to reinstate its microwave remote-sensing capability through the RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) series and attain operational Geo-imaging capability through the GISAT (GEO Imaging Satellite) series, according to Sivan.
It is also planned to progressively improve the payload capability of GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) and its variants.
The country would meet the high throughput bandwidth requirement of Digital India and also in-flight connectivity with the launch of GSAT-20.
On the application side, crop production estimation would be enhanced to cover 10 additional crops and also provide vital inputs for water and energy security, Sivan said.
He said 2019 is the birth centenary of the founding father of Indian Space Programme, Vikram A Sarabhai, and year-long celebrations, consisting of a host of national and international events, would commence August 12, 2019.
Terming 2018 as a year of many 'firsts' and 'beginnings' with profound growth in all directions, he said during the year ISRO completed 16 missions, signing off with seven successful missions within 35 days.
This included two successful GSLV missions in a single year.
Among other things, the period also witnessed active discussions and partnerships with other space agencies in advanced technology areas of human spaceflight and other areas like LOX/Methane propulsion, joint satellite missions, among others, he said.
A major initiative has been the UNNATI programme, which is an international programme to train participants on nano satellite assembly, and has evoked major respo ISRO-LD CHANDRAYAAN from 34 countries.
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New Delhi, Mar 29: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each for sharing information leading to the arrest of two key accused, one of them using Hindu names to hide identity, in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case.
The agency requested the general public for information on the duo -- Mussavir Hussain Shazib alias Shazeb alias Md Juned Hussain alias Mohammed Juned Sayed and Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa alias Abdul Matheen Taha alias Matheen alias Taha alias Vignesh D alias Sumit "or any other assumed Hindu name" -- wanted in the case, according to its posts on X.
Taha, aged about 30 years, has been using Hindu identity documents, forged Aadhaar card in the name of Vignesh or other similar forged ID documents to conceal identity, the NIA said.
The agency shared their pictures and identified men's/boys' hostel, PG/sharing accommodations/ low budget hotels and lodges as their preferred places of stay.
The NIA said accused Shazib, aged 30 years, prefers to wear "jeans, T-shirt and shirt" and "black smart watch".
Both Shazib and Taha often wear "mask, wig and fake beard", it said.
Whoever provides any information leading to the arrest of the accused person shall be given Rs 10 lakh reward, the NIA said in identical public notice on each of the accused, shared on X.
People can share details regarding these two accused through email at info.blr.nia@gov.in or through telephone numbers 080-29510900, 8904241100, besides the NIA's office in Bengaluru.
"Identity of (the) informer will be kept secret," it said.
In a major breakthrough, the NIA had on Wednesday arrested Muzammil Shareef, the key conspirator in the blast case.
NIA investigations have revealed that Muzammil Shareef had extended logistic support to these two wanted accused in the case, involving an IED explosion at the cafe located at ITPL Road, Brookefield, Bengaluru, on March 1.
Muzammil Shareef was picked up on Wednesday and placed in custody as a co-conspirator after NIA teams cracked down at 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh.
The NIA took over the probe on March 3.
Several customers and hotel staff members were injured, some of them grievously, in the blast, which caused extensive damage to the property.
Request for Information, Identity of the Informer will be kept Secret. pic.twitter.com/PBXPRH3DtB
— NIA India (@NIA_India) March 29, 2024
Request for Information, Identity of the Informer will be kept Secret. pic.twitter.com/JkMUWay23m
— NIA India (@NIA_India) March 29, 2024