ISRO General News & Updates

[Rishithulyan]

It seems ISRO will never be able to achieve 2 GSLV Mk II launches in a FY unless they gear up commissioning of SVAB.

SVAB is not the hindering factor bro. The delay in realization of a Cryo Stage is only causing too much time gap between 2 launches of GSLV MkIi.

If this time gap comes down, then SSAB (Solid Stage Assembly Building ) can be utilised for vehicle preparation, along with another vehicle assembly going on parallely at VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building).
SSAB is connected to the VAB by rail track. The "Integrate, Transfer and Launch (ITL)” adopted for the 2nd Launch Pad takes care of such multi vehicle and multi mission requirements.

 

[abhinaba]

SVAB is not the hindering factor bro. The delay in realization of a Cryo Stage is only causing too much time gap between 2 launches of GSLV MkIi.

If this time gap comes down, then SSAB (Solid Stage Assembly Building ) can be utilised for vehicle preparation, along with another vehicle assembly going on parallely at VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building).
SSAB is connected to the VAB by rail track. The "Integrate, Transfer and Launch (ITL)” adopted for the 2nd Launch Pad takes care of such multi vehicle and multi mission requirements.

what i know is that from last November VAB was occupied by various stage assemblies of MK-III. As a result ISRO has no chance to use 2nd launch pad; if there was SVAB then ISRO can use it for another assembly line for MK-II or PSLV launch vehicles.

 

[Rishithulyan]

if there was SVAB then ISRO can use it for another assembly line for MK-II or PSLV launch vehicles.

That only I was telling about. When VAB is busy with preparation on one vehicle, SSAB will be utilised for preparation of another vehicle. Vehicle is kept on the movable launch pedestal, not on the building floor. The building is just providing the auxiliary service and support facilities. SSAB is very much similar to VAB with respect to facilities. SVAB when commisioned, will be also similar in such servicing aspects to VAB & SSAB.

So Mk-II is being charted to stack at the Launch Pedestal which will be positioned at SSAB. VAB occupied by Mk-III is not causing any delay to the Mk-II vehicle.

I hope, now you understand what my point is

 

[Rishithulyan]

what i know is that from last November VAB was occupied by various stage assemblies of MK-III. As a result ISRO has no chance to use 2nd launch pad

I wonder from where you are getting such wrong information bro.

There is no such situation happening in isro now. The launches scheduled in the next few months for GSLV Mk-II and Mk-III are from Second launch pad only.

Different configurations of Mobile Launch Pads (MLP) are available for Mk-II and Mk-III vehicles. The integration and preparation of both the vehicles are independent. One vehicle is not causing any delay in the preparation of the other vehicle.

There is no such "chance of not utilising 2nd Launch Pad" situation arising in isro.

Please don't spread false news bro

 

[abhinaba]

There is no such "chance of not utilising 2nd Launch Pad" situation arising in ISRO

With an aim to ramp up capability ( goal of carrying out 1 launch mission a month of both its current PSLV-GSLVs, as well as future LVM3) ISRO had initiated setting up of Second Vehicle Assembly Building [SVAB] .

"The Second Vehicle Assembly Building will provide enhanced launch frequency of PSLV and GSLV by facilitating parallel integration operations. It will also provide redundancy to existing Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for integration of GSLV MK-III and also as a prime integration facility for third launch pad and future general launch vehicles"

Source : Realization of Second Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR)

So is it not clear that 2nd launch pad is underutilised ?

 

[abhinaba]

Different configurations of Mobile Launch Pads (MLP) are available for Mk-II and Mk-III vehicles. The integration and preparation of both the vehicles are independent. One vehicle is not causing any delay in the preparation of the other vehicle.

For integration of GSLV MK-II ISRO needs minimum 28 days; so do you think for the shake of MK-II ISRO will move the half assembled MK-III, integrated on top of the Mobile Launch Pedestal [MLP] to the open space ? If the integration and preparation of both the vehicles can be done independently then please give me one example where ISRO had done parallel integration of two launch vehicles( PSLV & GSLV) around VAB & SSAB.

 

[abhinaba]

For the delay in realization of Cryo Stage MK-III launch is delayed by 3 months; so if one vehicle is not causing any delay in the preparation of the other vehicle then why ISRO did not try to reschedule the launch campaign for early launch of MK-II vehicle ?

 

[Rishithulyan]

For the delay in realization of Cryo Stage MK-III launch is delayed by 3 months; so if one vehicle is not causing any delay in the preparation of the other vehicle then why ISRO did not try to reschedule the launch campaign for early launch of MK-II vehicle ?

Both Mk-II and Mk-III launches are delayed, only because the Cryo stages for these 2 vehicles are not ready. The non-availability of VAB is not causing any delay in the schedule for both these vehicles.

ISRO is not rescheduling the launches and advancing the Mk-II launch since Mk-II Cryo stage is more delayed than the Mk-III Cryo stage.

 

[Rishithulyan]

For integration of GSLV MK-II ISRO needs minimum 28 days; so do you think for the shake of MK-II ISRO will move the half assembled MK-III, integrated on top of the Mobile Launch Pedestal [MLP] to the open space ?

As per the current schedule for both the Mk-II and Mk-III launches, Mk-III is only getting ready first. The readiness of Cryo stage for Mk-II will take more time. By the time when Cryo stage for Mk-II arrives for vehicle integration , Mk-III will be ready for launch. So there is no need for shifting Mk-III out of a VAB, for giving priority to Mk-II.

Otherwise, if Cryo stage for Mk-II was arriving first, then Mk-III would be moved outside of VAB to the parking slot in the rail track, then move Mk-II to ahead of VAB and then move Mk-III to SSAB. Then Mk-II will be prepared at VAB.
The rail tracks are laid with such a provision to swap vehicles at VAB and SSAB.

 

[abhinaba]

^^ Brother i know those layout of rail tracks; anyway thanks for sharing those info to fellow members & personally i am thankful to you for your clarification on preparedness of cryo stages.
One question to you :
Have you any internal source ?