Rs 171 Crore Boost to Manned Space Project

Introduction

 India's space manned flight project got a boost on Monday with the Union interim budget hiking the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark 3 programme's allocation from Rs 10 crores to Rs 171 crores.

The overall budget for India's space programme was increased from Rs 5172 crores to Rs 7238 crores. The budget has also hiked the allocation for the human space flight programme from 9.19 crores to Rs 17.05 crores.

The increase in the funding comes close on the heels of the unveiling of a crew module fabricated by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The module was handed over to the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro).

The module will be tested when the GSLV Mk 3 makes it maiden flight sometime this year. Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan said that re-entry technologies and flight dynamics of the crew module will be evaluated and will be recovered about 400 to 500 km away from Port Blair.

The present government has not yet given the formal green signal for India's manned mission programme.

The main role of the three-stage 42.4 m tall GSLV Mk 3 will be to deploy four-tonne communication satellites in the geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Source

India Brand Equity Foundation, February 18, 2014