Google India official: Bhuvan by ISRO is not competition to Google Maps

  04 Nov 2016 , 07:56

Google does not perceive ISRO’s geo-portal app Bhuvan as competition, a senior Google India official said here on Thursday, stressing that such data sharing platforms help bolster the industry. “From our analysis, it’s a great platform for sharing data. We generally don’t look at a different app as a competition as we are trying to solve the same problem,” said Google India’s Maps Lead Sanket Gupta.

“There’s a long way to go… It is something like a great experience and generally great for the industry,” Gupta told the media here. Bhuvan is a software application created by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that allows users to explore 2D/3D representation of the Earth’s surface. The mapping app is specifically tailored to view India, offering highest resolution in the region and providing content in four local languages.

Asked about the security and privacy concerns regarding live traffic updates, Gupta clarified the company aggregates anonymised traffic data from people using Google Maps apps. “We generally strip out personal identifiable information which keeps it secure and that’s why we can’t identify a particular traffic update to a particular cell phone,” Gupta added.

ISRO aims for a World record, to launch 83 satellites on a single rocket

Representational image

  28 Oct 2016 , 19:21

Indian space agency ISRO is aiming for a world record by putting into orbit 83 satellites — two Indian and 81 foreign — on a single rocket in early 2017, a top official of Antrix Corporation said.

He said the company’s order book stands at Rs 500 crore while negotiations are on for launch order for another Rs 500 crore.

“During the first quarter of 2017 we plan to launch a single rocket carrying 83 satellites. Most foreign satellites are nano satellites,” Rakesh Sasibhushan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Antrix Corporation said.

Antrix Corporation is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

He said all the 83 satellites will be put in a single orbit and hence there will not be any switching off and on of the rocket.

The major challenge for the proposed mission is to hold the rocket in the same orbit till all the satellites are ejected.

He said ISRO will use its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle XL (PSLV-XL) rocket variant for the record launch.

For ISRO, launch of multiple satellites at one go is not a new thing as it has done it several times in the past.

According to Sasibhushan, the total payload/weight carried off into space by the PSLV-XL rocket will be around 1,600 kg.

Citing non-disclosure agreements, Sasibhushan declined to

French company Arianespace successfully puts Indian communication satellite GSAT-18 in orbit

Representational Image

  06 Oct 2016 , 10:49

An Indian communication satellite GSAT-18 was successfully put into orbit by Ariane 5 rocket belonging to French company Arianespace on Thursday, Indian space agency said. The rocket lifted off from its spaceport in Kourou (French Guiana). According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) its Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka took control of GSAT-18 and performed the initial orbit raising activities by firing the motors onboard the satellite.

The satellite was placed in a circular geostationary orbit, ISRO said. GSAT-18 is India’s latest communication satellite with 48 transponders that receive and transmit communication signals. The 3,404 kg satellite will provide services in normal C-band, upper extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum.

The satellite carries Ku-band beacon as well to help in accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite. Its designed in-orbit operational life is about 15 years. “It is now the