Polar Orbital Experiment Module : ISRO’s New Mission Sets Precedent for Public-Private Alliance : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Key Phrases: PSLV-C53, First Official Public-Private Collaboration, Polar Orbital Experiment Module (POEM), New Space India Ltd, Stabilised Platform, IN-SPACe, Navigation Guidance and Control

Why in News?

Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C53 was launched with three satellites in its primary payload.
It is the first official public-private collaboration for a space launch in India.

Key Highlights:

The three satellites from Singapore were launched as part of a contract signed by ISRO through its commercial arm New Space India Ltd.
The PSLV-C53 rocket also carried two instruments belonging to private Indian space startups, Digantara and Dhruva Space, which were a part of the mission’s secondary payload and part of its Polar Orbital Experiment Module (POEM).
While the primary payload refers to the main satellites launched in a mission, secondary payloads include additional satellites that fly with a mission alongside the primary payload, to maximize utilization of space infrastructure.

What is POEM?

The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module is a platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final, and otherwise discarded, stage of ISRO’s workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
The PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) after launching the satellite into orbit ends up as space junk.
However, in PSLV-C53 mission, the spent final stage will be utilised as a “stabilised platform” to perform experiments.
It is the first time that the PS4 stage would orbit the earth as a stabilised platform.
POEM is carrying six payloads, including two from Indian space start-ups Digantara and Dhruva Space.

How will ISRO keep the POEM ‘alive and stable’ in orbit?

According to ISRO, POEM has a dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system for altitude stabilisation, which stands for controlling the orientation of any aerospace vehicle within permitted limits.
The NGC will act as the platform’s brain to stabilize it with specified accuracy.
It will navigate using four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyros & NavIC and is enabled with a telecommand feature.
It carries dedicated control thrusters using Helium gas storage.

Has ISRO repurposed and used PS4 rocket junk earlier?

The Indian space agency first demonstrated the capability of using PS4 as an orbital platform in 2019 with the PSLV-C44 mission.
It injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits.
The fourth stage in that mission was kept alive as an orbital platform for space-based experiments.

What is IN-SPACe?

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN–SPACe or INSPACe) is a single-window autonomous agency under the Department of Space of the Government of India.
The Centre acts as a facilitator and regulator of space activities in India.
It can authorize a non-government entity to use ISRO’s infrastructure and resources, including ISRO’s launch facilities.
It helps in streamlining the process, clarify regulatory hurdles and facilitate contact for public-private partnerships in space.

Do you know about Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)?

(GSLV) is an expendable space launch vehicle designed, developed, and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch satellites and other space objects into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits.
GSLV is 49.13 m tall and tallest among all other vehicles of ISRO.
It is a three-stage vehicle with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes.

Stages in GSLV:

The first stage comprises a solid booster with 138-tonne propellant and four liquid strap-on motors, with 40-tonne propellant.
The second stage is a liquid engine carrying 40-tonne of liquid propellant.
The third stage is the indigenously built Cryogenic Upper Stage carrying 15-tonne of cryogenic propellants.
GSLV rockets using the Russian Cryogenic Stage are designated as the GSLV Mk I while versions using the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage are designated the GSLV Mk II.
All GSLV launches have been conducted from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Difference between PSLV and GSLV:

GSLV has the capability to put a heavier payload in the orbit than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
PSLV can carry satellites up to a total weight of 2000 kg into space and reach up to an altitude of 600-900 km while GSLV can carry weight up to 5,000 kg and reach up to 36,000 km.
PSLV is designed mainly to deliver earth observation or remote sensing satellites, whereas, GSLV has been designed for launching communication satellites.
GSLV delivers satellites into a higher elliptical orbit, Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO).

Types of Earth orbit:

Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) & Geostationary Orbit (GEO):
- Objects in GSO have an orbital speed that matches the Earth’s rotation, yielding a consistent position over a single longitude.
- GEO is a kind of GSO. It matches the planet’s rotation, but GEO objects only orbit Earth’s equator, and from the ground perspective, they appear in a fixed position in the sky. GSO and GEO are used for telecommunications and Earth observation.
Polar Orbit:
- Within 30 degrees of the Earth’s poles, the polar orbit is used for satellites providing reconnaissance, weather tracking, measuring atmospheric conditions, and long-term Earth observation.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO):
- It is a type of polar orbit.
- SSO objects are synchronous with the sun, such that they pass over an Earth region at the same local time every day.
Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO):
- An HEO is elliptical, with one end nearer the Earth and the other more distant.
- Satellites in HEO are suited for communications, satellite radio, remote sensing and other applications.

Conclusion:

The PSLV C53 mission has achieved a new milestone by launching two payloads of Indian Start-ups in Space.
The inclusion of the two laid the ground for more public-private partnerships, to be facilitated by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe)

Source: Live-Mint

Mains Question:

Q. What is PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)? Briefly describe its features and significance of the PSLV-C53 mission.(250 words).