ISRO

Aiming to enhance India's defence surveillance capabilities, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch its first Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) and micro educational satellite, ANUSAT, from its spaceport in Sriharikota at 6.45a.m Monday, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

According to ISRO, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C12 (PSLV-C12) would carry the 300-kg RISAT-2 and 40-kg micro satellite, ANUSAT, built by Anna University.

RISAT, to be launched from Sriharikota on the east coast of the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, some 80km north from here, has all weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation.

As per specifications, RISAT is different from previous remote sensing satellites as it uses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), equipped with many antennas to receive signals that are processed into high-resolution pictures.

The SAR, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, gives RISAT defence capabilities.

Our Earth

How was the only inhabitant planet born and what are its facts?

The Earth was born about 4 and a half billion years ago( Oh my God...Can you believe it..?), during which the whole solar system formed. An large cloud of gas initiated to get smaller as the gas particles magnetized each other with gravity. Most of the gas went to the center of the solar system and formed the Sun, but several other pieces spinning about the Sun solidified into the planets, including the Earth. So, this is the small history of our mother earth.
Scientific research proves that the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.

The mass of Earth is 5.98 x 1024 kg, or 1.32 x 1025 lb. Sounds interesting roght..? Well. convert it for yourself and tell me. Can you believe it..? Research speaks that the Earth is not a perfect sphere, so the distance to the center of the Earth changes. The earth's core is a combination of radioactivity and heat from the inception of the Earth. Earth's core temperature is about 6,000° C.We stay on the earth because of its gravity but not of its spinning.

Russia to Take Space Tourists in 2013

In a press release dated 9/27/10, Russia’s space agency Roscosmos announced its plans to allow two space tourists to ride its Soyuz craft along with a professional cosmonaut as pilot. “Such a proposal is under consideration of Roscosmos and the American Space Adventures (company)” said Alexei Krasnov, head of Roscosmos’ manned flights department. “There are also detailed offers which we will study in Washington at a meeting of space agencies’ heads,” he said.

The good news keeps coming: Russia’s RSC Energia corporation now says it has the capacity to build five Soyuz spacecraft a year instead of four. This means there will be at least one craft dedicated to space tourism.

Russia has not sent tourists into space since 2009, when the International Space Station ( ISS) crew increased from three to six and places were reserved for Russian and foreign astronauts.

While the US Congress fumbles around trying to decide whose political ox gets gored and which congressional district gets the pork for the overbudgeted and underdeveloped Constellation/Ares project, Russia and US space promoter Space Adventures are working on plans to send two tourists to the International Space Station in 2013. Does it not seem that space tourism will flourish despite US congressional haggling?

Chandrayaan Launch Video