Israeli Space Agency Is Not Happy From ISRO

6 April 2010 No Comment

Israeli space agency has strongly criticized ISRO for delaying the launch of their satellites intentionally by shifting the blame on schedule slippages.

According to Israeli Space agency, A satellite Tauvex was developed by Tel Aviv University and Israel space agency (ELOP) in collaboration with Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics. The first launch date of Tauvex was scheduled to be in the late 2005 but ISRO is continuously delaying it.

The anger of Israeli Space agency busted out when ISRO delayed the launch again this month. Tauvex, whose scientific data would be open to all Indian and Israeli scientists, was scheduled to be launched by ISRO’s GSLV (geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle) this month but India’s space agency said it would not be part of this mission.

The Israeli official said the real reason for postponing the Tauvex launch has to do with GSLV boosters which are not powerful enough to carry additional weight.

This month’s GSLV carries GSAT-4 experimental communication satellite, weighing 2200 kg.

According to the official, the 80-kg Tauvex was removed after its integration with GSAT-4 because of the “weight problem.”

Tauvex promoters say they always had very difficult time in the past understanding ISRO schedules and have not been kept in the loop regarding when launch would be.

Indian Principal Investigator of the Tauvex project, Prof Jayant Murthy is also disappointed due to continuous delay. Murthy said “”We have now been sitting in the ISRO clean room under not very controlled conditions for more than two months and are becoming concerned about further damage to the instrument”