Author: Pradeep

  • India successfully tests its cryogenic upper stage

    Note: I wrote this on my earlier blog hosted as https://blogs.seds.org/pradeep. I recovered the text from the WayBack Machine. This post appeared on November 19, 2007 as per the timestamp. I’m trying to collect here again all my old writings spread on various blogs.

    The third stage of India’s latest satellite launch vehicle, the GSLV is cryogenic. On November 15, 2007, ISRO successfully tested the indigenously built cryogenic rocket engine that will power the GSLV third stage. Till now, India depended on Russia for its cryogenic third stage but the test now allows India to use its own.

    Developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre and supported by ISRO centres, public and private companies, it’s a milestone worth taking note of.

    The press release describes the rocket as:

    The indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is powered by a regeneratively cooled cryogenic engine, which works on staged combustion cycle developing a thrust of 69.5 kN in vacuum. The other stage systems include insulated propellant tanks, booster pumps, inter-stage structures, fill and drain systems, pressurisation systems, gas bottles, command block, igniters, pyro valves and cold gas orientation and stabilisation system. Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) from the respective tanks are fed by individual booster pumps to the main turbo-pump, which rotates at 39,000 rpm to ensure a high flow rate of 16.5 kg/sec of propellants into the combustion chamber. The main turbine is driven by the hot gas produced in a pre-burner. Thrust control and mixture ratio control are achieved by two independent regulators. LOX and Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) are ignited by pyrogen type igniters in the pre-burner as well as in the main and steering engines.

    Congragulations to ISRO for a successful test firing.

  • Leaving SEDSAT-2

    Note: I wrote this on my earlier blog hosted as https://blogs.seds.org/pradeep. I recovered the text from the WayBack Machine. This post appeared on November 12, 2007 as per the timestamp. I’m trying to collect here again all my old writings spread on various blogs.

    After my post on tying things up, this might come as a surprise to many of you. But, things in practise never match up to our plans.

    Both, academic and life in my house have been getting stuffy enough so that I can’t concentrate on more technical stuff than I am already handling at school.

    Also, working on SEDS India holds a higher priority for me than working on SEDSAT-2. I think we’ve reached a point in SEDSAT-2 where you can be reasonably sure of its success and continuity. It’s been great hanging around with all you guys – discussing, playing around, serious discussions etc. Hope you can launch the baby by the end of 2008 as planned.

  • Passing Thoughts

    Adults are inhibited by their knowledge while students are driven by their ignorance.

    Don’t know how knowledge is power.

  • Pirsig Quote

    It would be sort of theatrical and fake he supposed, but that’s what funerals were: theater. They weren’t for the corpse certainly, but to help end the longings and old patterns of the living who had to go on.

    Lila: An Enquiry into Morals, Robert M. Pirsig

  • Education

    He boarded the train with the book in his hand. He opened the book to a page where there was a neatly written script in Marathi. Probably written by his teacher. He just said the words, “For my education”, in Marathi.

    Appeal in his voice and a trace of frustration in his face.

    He was able to reaffirm my respect for my education and thankful that I can afford one.

  • Notes 00

    There was an article in the recent ToI talking about the high attrition rate. Might mention it on my space blog soon. But,  this is just to remind me.

  • Hmm….What number is it? 3 or 4??

    the only people to disagree are millionaires    ??

    Affirmation, Savage Garden

  • Going to IAC…and SEDSIC

    I’ve been in a bit of a spot at home. So, going to IAC/SEDSIC was not discussed. Yesterday for the first time I had a talk about going there. Neither positive nor negative. But, a start.

    Asked my principal today about the same – some support from college in terms of attendance, not that I need it though – and he replied that I was either premature (I think he meant immature) or over-enthusiastic.

    Of course, I’m enthusiastic, it’s a chance to meet the people I’ve been having wonderful discussions online. I believe that it has contributed more to the way I look at my life than the people in the real world around me. Hmm…

  • Exam Woes

    I’m still waiting for Sem III results. It’s really bad that it’s taking this long. Read an article yesterday in the papers talking about getting results out within 30-45 days. It’s already somewhere around 70 days – long enough to make me forget what I wrote in my paper. Sigh!

  • My Story

    That storyline that was developing has nowhere else to go. The book tab on the top will remind you what I’m talking about. I cannot write 300 pages of pure romance. Would have to read too many other books to fill in the blanks. :)

    So, I’m going to re-write it all. There is a new story line on the drawing board. I’ll put it in here as soon as I get enough details to complete the picture realistically. That and more coming soon.