32 missions, including Chandrayaan-2, planned for 2019: ISRO

India has planned 32 missions, including "most complex" Chandrayaan-2 during 2019, Indian Research Organisation has said.

India's maiden human flight programme 'Gaganyaan' activities would go full steam to accomplish various development and qualification milestones during year, ncy said.

" year 2019 promises to be much more challenging to ISRO community with 32 planned missions (14 launch vehicles, 17 satellites and 1 Tech demo missions)," ISRO Chairman K Sivan said in a New Year mess.

"This includes most complex Chandrayaan-2, which will be 25th mission from SLP (second launch p), and development flights of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)," he said.

ISRO h earlier said Chandrayaan-2 will be launched in a window from January-February 16, 2019.

Sources said it is expected by middle of next month but date has been finalised.

"We are all trying hard. Definitely, it should be possible to launch mission in February," a senior ISRO official told PTI.

"re is impediment. It's on track," official said.

Chandrayaan-2 mission, costing nearly Rs 800 crore, is an vanced version of previous Chandrayaan-1 mission about 10 years ago.

This craft to be launched on board GSLV-Mk III is a totally indigeus mission, comprising an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. Sivan said during year, Gaganyaan activities would go "full steam" to accomplish various development and qualification milestones.

Union Cabinet gave its d for Rs 9,023-crore programme last Friday. objective of mission is to carry a three-member crew to low earth orbit and return m safely to a predefined destination on earth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi h on Independence Day anunced that mission would be undertaken by 2022. ISRO is aiming to reinstate its microwave remote-sensing capability through RISAT (Rar Imaging Satellite) series and attain operational Geo-imaging capability through GISAT (GEO Imaging Satellite) series, according to Sivan.

It is also planned to progressively improve paylo capability of GSLV (Geosynchrous Satellite Launch Vehicle) and its variants. country would meet high throughput bandwidth requirement of Digital India and also in-flight connectivity with launch of GSAT-20.

On application side, crop production estimation would be enhanced to cover 10 ditional crops and also provide vital inputs for water and energy security, Sivan said.

He said 2019 is birth centenary of founding far of Indian Programme, Vikram A Sarabhai, and year-long celebrations, consisting of a host of national and international events, would commence August 12, 2019.

Terming 2018 as a year of many 'firsts' and 'beginnings' with profound growth in all directions, he said during year ISRO completed 16 missions, signing off with seven successful missions within 35 days.

This included two successful GSLV missions in a single year. Among or things, period also witnessed active discussions and partnerships with or ncies in vanced techlogy areas of human flight and or areas like LOX/Methane propulsion, joint satellite missions, among ors, he said.

A major initiative has been UNNATI programme, which is an international programme to train participants on na satellite assembly, and has evoked major respoISRO-LD CHANDRAYAANnse from 34 countries.