ISRO successfully conducts key rocket engine test for Chandrayaan-3
Bengaluru (PTI): The flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine that will power the cryogenic upper stage of the launch vehicle for the Chandrayaan-3 mission was successfully conducted, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation.
The hot test was carried out for a planned duration of 25 seconds at the High Altitude Test Facility of the ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu on February 24, the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said.
"All the propulsion parameters during the test were found satisfactory and closely matched with predictions," an ISRO statement said on Monday.
The cryogenic engine will be further integrated with the propellant tanks, stage structures and associated fluid lines to realise the fully-integrated flight cryogenic stage, ISRO said.
Earlier this year, Chandrayaan-3 lander successfully underwent EMI/EMC test at U R Rao Satellite Centre here.
EMI-EMC (Electro - Magnetic Interference/ Electro - Magnetic Compatibility) test is conducted for satellite missions to ensure the functionality of the satellite subsystems in the space environment and their compatibility with the expected electromagnetic levels, it was noted.
"This test is a major milestone in the realisation of the satellites," ISRO had said.
Chandrayaan-3 interplanetary mission has three major modules: the propulsion module, lander module, and a rover. The mission's complexity calls for establishing radio-frequency (RF) communication links between the modules.
During the Chandrayaan-3 lander EMI/EC test, launcher compatibility, antenna polarisation of all RF systems, standalone auto compatibility tests for orbital and powered descent mission phases, and lander and rover compatibility tests for post landing mission phase were ensured, according to ISRO.
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. ISRO plans to launch the mission in June.
It will be launched by Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh).
The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
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Nearly half of Bengaluru voters give LS elections a miss
Bengaluru (PTI): Nearly half of Bengaluru's voters did not turn up to vote in the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.
Voting took place in 14 constituencies in Karnataka, with the Election Commission estimating the turnout at 69.23 per cent.
However, the percentage of voters who exercised their franchise in three urban constituencies in the city -- Bangalore Central, Bangalore North and Bangalore South -- was significantly lower.
The approximate voter turnout in Bangalore Central was 52.81 per cent, Bangalore North - 54.42 per cent and Bangalore South - 53.15 per cent.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the turnout in Bengaluru Central was 54.32 per cent, Bengaluru North - 54.76 per cent and Bengaluru South - 53.70 per cent.
Election Commission officials were disappointed that the voter apathy persisted despite their vigorous efforts to increase participation.
"There is no explanation for it. That is the truth," a top EC official said.
According to poll officials, scorching summer heat is said to be one of the reasons for the people not turning up at polling booths in the city.
However, Bangalore Rural saw an approximate voter turnout of 67.29 per cent.
Mandya and Kolar had a turnout of 81.48 per cent and 78.07 per cent, respectively.
The Election Commission in Karnataka came out with several initiatives to increase turnout in this election in urban constituencies -- from encouraging the public to use various apps to putting QR codes on voter slips to locate polling booths.
Voter Helpline, 'Know Your Candidate' and updating details about number of voters in queue and kind of parking facilities available at polling booths, especially in Bengaluru, and an elaborate booth election management plan were among the other measures taken.
The EC had also come up with better facilities at the polling stations in the urban constituencies based on the feedback they received following a survey conducted by the Election Commission in the areas which registered low voter turnout in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election and the previous Lok Sabha elections.
