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India Launches Its First Space Observatory
Astrosat, India's first space observatory, was launched on Monday from the country's main space station in Sriharikota. The Indian-built vehicle is carrying its Astrosat satellite along with six other smaller satellites from other countries.
Photo Credit: Reuters
It's another achievement for the country, which became the first country to launch a Mars orbital mission last year. The launch was also a cost-effective project as well: at $50 million, the Mars robotic probe costs a fraction of similar missions by the United States, Russia and other European countries.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is excited about this mission, which was pitched in 1996 and given the go-ahead in 2004. “This is the first time we are launching a dedicated astronomy mission,” said K. Suryanarayana Sarma, the project director of AstroSat. “This is a unique mission because … we have a very wide band of astronomical observation with sophisticated instruments with good resolution and specifications."
Astrosat is dedicated solely to astronomy missions like exploring black holes, star births and high-energy systems. Unlike the Hubble satellite, which it's often compared to, the Astrosat has a lifespan of five years. Scientists like Vasudevan Mukunth have objected to the comparison, which suggests that India's space technology has rapidly advanced.
"Calling the AstroSat ‘India’s Hubble’ will imply that ISRO has reached that level of engineering capability when it has not. And making that reference repeatedly will only foster complacency about defining the scale and scope of future missions,” wrote Mukunth in The Wire last week.
Photo Credit: The Guardian
The launch is also hailed as a boon for India–US relations, as it came on the day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with U.S. President Barack Obama. Since Astrosat is also carrying satellites from Indonesia, Canada and the United States, it's a very important symbol for India's space station.
"We have never launched an American satellite. … Politically and scientifically, India launching four American satellites marks the biggest step yet in Indo-US space collaboration,” said Srinivas Laxman, a space science expert, told The Guardian.
Prime Minister Modi has been trying to bolster's India's presence in the $200 billion space race that's largely dominated by NASA and the RKA. Modi faces stiff competition from India's neighbour China, which has more investments and bigger launchers to display.
Getting a South Asian in space may be the next dream for the prime minister, but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon. Yet with the successful launch of Astrosat, India has jostled its way forward to display its technology and space prowess.
Main Image Photo Credit: Nature Journal
Rumnique Nannar
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Rumnique Nannar is a new journalist with a passion for all things pop culture, film, and art. Rumnique was born in London, with a predilection for devouring English chocolate with her Vogue, ANOKHI, and Glamour magazines in tow. She is currently in her Journalism Masters at UBC. Connect ...
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