A Tour Report of “Visit to the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” Submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34Th Orientation
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A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 0 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 1. Formal itinerary 2 2. Objectives of tour 3 3. Methodology in Data Collection 3 4. Indian deep space network (IDSN) 5 5. Indian space science data center (ISSDC) 7 6. The 32 meter antenna 9 7. Control Room Beneath The Antenna 11 8. Concluding Remarks 13 LIST OF PICTURES (Picture Data is collected form the Internet and suitable references are mentioned wherever necessary) Picture 1. Doda Alada Mara or the Big Banyan Tree 4 Picture 2. Spacecraft Control Center (SCC) and the Giant Screens 5 Picture 3. Visit to Indian Space Science Data Center (ISSDC) 7 Picture 4. Visit to Storagetek Data Storage systems at ISSDC 8 Picture 5. The 32 m Antenna at the Indian Deep Space Network 10 Picture 6. The 18 m Antenna at the Indian Deep Space Network 10 Picture 7. Wheel-and-track design of 32 meter antenna 11 A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 1 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 A Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN). Formal itinerary went as follows 8.00 AM Assembly at the Academic Staff College. 8.30 AM Left for Byalalu. 9.00-9.30 Breakfast at Raghuveer Farm House. 10.30 Checkup an Entry inside The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN), Byalalu. 10.45-11.30 Spacecraft Control Center (SCC) with Sr. Scientist H. Veerbhadrappa. 11.30-11.40 Tea Break. 11.45-12.30 Space Science Data Center (ISSDC) with Sr. Scientist Mr. J.D. Rao. 12.45-1.45 Deep Space Tracking Antenna with Sr. Scientist Mr. Bangaruraju 1.45 – 2.15 Lunch by ISRO. Part of the itinerary which could not be completed were as follows (See text for details) 3.00-4.30 pm Satellite Center Bangalore. 4.45-5.30 pm Visit to Shiva Temple. 6.00pm Return to ASC-BUB and End of Tour. A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 2 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 Objectives of tour: For evaluating, observation and interpretation skills of the participants of 34th orientation programme. To have a understanding of Scientific and Mission objectives of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in promoting development and application of space science and technology to assist in all-round development of the nation Usefulness of tour: A study tour helps to observe the features and developments of the world in which we live. We can watch and get great deal of information and gain knowledge of the vast and unfathomable developments made by science and technology, indigenously by our dedicated and committed scientists. First hand experiences gained during the tour remain as “teachers” for our lifetime and can act as milestones to teach the generation which we will handle for years to come. Books give information too, but study tours afford first-hand knowledge and personal experiences, which will last in one’s memory forever. One tour with multiple participants can generate multiple thoughts and ideas, some of which may become determinant in decision-making. Methodology (Data Collection and interpretation): Due to the strict security as only a pen and pad was allowed inside and the data collection methodology was primarily primitive and latter on creamed by the information available on the net, correlating the first hand experiences. Interpretation of data in this report is combination of two components, the first one being the scientific knowledge gained through observation and learning and other one being philosophical, based on thoughts, morals and ethical values gained during the study. Technical detailing of the instruments and technologies observed during the visit are deliberately abstained and appropriate references, which provide exhaustive information of the same that are available on the internet, are provided wherever necessary, and in this report more emphasis is given on on-hand experience gained during the visit. Conclusions from tour: Scientific and Philosophical conclusions are drawn from the experiences of this visit in a view, which will remain as long-term lessons for a lifetime. A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 3 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 1.0 INTRODUCTION We assembled at the Academic staff college at 8:00 AM sharp on 24th June 2009 and from there took a KSRTC Bus, which was convened from “Majestic” by two of our members. One of our members could not make it on time and we all were late by half an hour for the start. So we started with a delay and left Academic Staff College, Bangalore (ASC-BUB) at 8.30 am. This was not a good beginning, which was to result into a loss later on. Our programme coordinator Dr. A.S. Vaidya sir had already appointed tentatively team leaders one male and one female, who maneuvered the proceedings. All the time our coordinator remained passive and put most of the responsibilities on the team leader. It was an intended circumvention to inculcate the leading and following abilities in oneself and also to let ourselves know how responsible we could remain as a team. The initial idea was to have a breakfast at a spot called “Allada Mara” which simply means Big Baniyan tree in Kannada. Due to delay we had our breakfast in a farmhouse. We moved on to the destined spot on the way we saw the unique Baniyan tree, through the running bus. The Doda Aalada Mara (which is in kannada and literally translated to Big Banyan Tree, is a giant Banyan tree located in the village of Ramohalli, near Kengeri approximately 28 kilometers west of the city of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. This single plant covers 3 acres and this is the fourth largest banyan tree in India. It is said to be at least 400 years old. A few years back, the main root of the tree succumbed to natural disease, and thus the tree looks like many different trees now. Picture 1. Doda Alada Mara or the Big Banyan Tree located in Ramohalli, near Kengeri A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 4 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 An hour's drive from the IT city, this nondescript tiny hamlet is on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. Byalalu has rocketed to fame. It is here that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set up Deep Space Network (DSN) center to track Chandrayaan I, which lifted off on 22 Oct 2008. The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) is located at Byalalu, a village about 40 km from Bangalore, India. It was officially inaugurated on 17 October 2008 by ISRO chairman Mr. G. Madhavan Nair. The antenna was designed and commissioned by Hyderabad based Electronics Corporation of India Limited at a cost of Rs 62 crore to Rs 65 crore (about 130 million US dollars). 2.0 INDIAN DEEP SPACE NETWORK (IDSN) When first rocket was launched in space in 1963 in Tumba village of Tiruvananthapuram, the laboratory was a church and the workers included people like A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The modes of transport were cycles. The two-stage rocket, weighing 715 kg and powered by solid propellants, climbed to an altitude of 208 km, releasing sodium vapors that lit up the sky (Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2101/stories/20040116004011600.htm) November 21, 1963: The Nike Apache rocket being readied for launch and a rocket being carried on a bicycle to the launch pad in the early days. (http://www.hinduonnet.com) We reached the gates of Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at 10.15am, which was followed by a strict security check up, and warnings (no mobiles, laptops, cameras and pendrives). There was a small misunderstanding as one of our members unknowingly possesed a “pendrive” which got caught during the security scanner and after intervention of our coordinator the misunderstanding was resolved and we were in. Somebody asked “How didi they detect it?”. On second thoughts everyone realised it was a real understatement for the people who are scanning the moon. We had to walk a few minutes to reach the Spacecraft Control Centre (SCC). Once inside the SCC, we were A tour report of “Visit To The Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)” submitted by Dr. Shiva Aithal for the 34th 5 Orientation Programme conducted by ASC-BUB, 10th June – 7th July 2009 made to comfortably sit on the chairs used by scientists, in an air-conditioned chamber at Space Craft Control Center (SCC) by senior scientist Mr. H. Veerbhadrappa and Mr. Bagararaju who humbly explained the missions and goals of ISRO and also introduced us to Chandrayaan with display of video clippings of Chandrayan1 taking off to space, on a giant screen used to monitor moon activities. A beautiful animated version of the whole process till its present activity made the picture clear, for rest of our lives, about what is really happening in ISRO. Though we may not have deserved it, but we enjoyed the feeling of sharing the chairs used by high-level scientists. We nevertheless sensed that these materialistic things might have no values for those great scientists who sweat out their blood for the country.