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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

About PSLV and GSLV

Sulekha Rani.R, P.G.T Chemistry , KV NTPC Kayamkulam

PSLV




The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle,usually known by its abbreviation PSLV is the first operational launch vehicle of ISRO. PSLV is capable of launching 1600 kg satellites in 620 km sun-synchronous polar orbit and 1050 kg satellite in geo-synchronous transfer orbit. In the standard configuration, it measures 44.4 m tall, with a lift off weight of 295 tonnes. PSLV has four stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The first stage is one of the largest solid propellant boosters in the world and carries 139 tonnes of propellant. A cluster of six strap-ons attached to the first stage motor, four of which are ignited on the ground and two are air-lit.


The reliability rate of PSLV has been superb. There had been 17 continuously successful flights of PSLV, till April 2011. With its variant configurations, PSLV has proved its multi-payload, multi-mission capability in a single launch and its geosynchronous launch capability. In the recent Chandrayaan-mission, another variant of PSLV with an extended version of strap-on motors, PSOM-XL, the payload haul was enhanced to 1750 kg in 620 km SSPO. PSLV has rightfully earned the status of workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO.

Typical Parameters of PSLV
Lift-off weight295 tonne
Pay Load1600 kg in to 620 km Polar Orbit,
1060 kg in to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)
Height44 metre


PSLV Milestones
PSLV-C16 launched RESOURCESAT - 2, YOUTHSAT and X-SAT on April 20, 2011 (Successful)
PSLV-C15 launched CARTOSAT-2B, ALSAT-2A, NLS 6.1 & 6.2 and STUDSAT on July 12, 2010 (Successful)
PSLV-C14 launched Oceansat - 2 and Six Nanosatellites on September 23, 2009 (Successful)
PSLV-C12 launched RISAT-2 and ANUSAT on April 20, 2009 (Successfully)
PSLV-C11 launched CHANDRAYAAN-I, on October 22, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C9 launched CARTOSAT-2A, IMS-1 and Eight nano-satellites on April 28, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C10 launched TECSAR on January 23, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C8 launched AGILE on April 23, 2007 (Successful)
PSLV-C7 launched CARTOSAT-2, SRE-1, LAPAN-TUBSAT and PEHUENSAT-1 on January 10, 2007 (Successful)
PSLV-C6 launched CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT on May 5, 2005 (Successful)
PSLV-C5 launched RESOURCESAT-1(IRS-P6) on October 17, 2003 (Successful)
PSLV-C4 launched KALPANA-1(METSAT) on September 12, 2002 (Successful)
PSLV-C3 launched TES on October 22, 2001 (Successful)
PSLV-C2 launched OCEANSAT(IRS-P4), KITSAT-3 and DLR-TUBSAT on May 26, 1999 (Successful)
PSLV-C1 launched IRS-1D on September 29, 1997 (Successful)
PSLV-D3 launched IRS-P3 on March 21, 1996 (Successful)
PSLV-D2 launched IRS-P2 on October 15, 1994 (Successful)
PSLV-D1 launched IRS-1E on September 20, 1993 (Unsuccessful)



GSLV












Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle(GSLV)-Mark I&II
,
is capable of placing INSAT–II class of satellites (2000 – 2,500 kg) into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV is a three stage vehicle GSLV is 49 m tall, with 414 t lift off weight. It has a maximum diameter of 3.4 m at the payload fairing. First stage comprises S125 solid booster with four liquid (L40) strap-ons. Second stage (GS2) is liquid engine and the third stage (GS3) is a cryo stage. The vehicle develops a lift off thrust of 6573 kn.

The first flight of GSLV took place from SHAR on April 18, 2001 by launching 1540 kg GSAT-1. It was followed by six more launches , GSLV-D2 on May 8, 2003 (GSAT-2 1825 kg), GSLV-F01 on September 20, 2004 (EDUSAT 1950 kg), GSLV-F02 on July 10, 2006, GSLV-F04 on September 2, 2007 (INSAT-4CR 2130 kg), GSLV-D3 on April 15, 2010 and GSLV-F06 on December 25, 2010.


Typical Parameters of GSLV
Lift-off weight414 tonne
Pay Load2 to 2.5 Tonne in to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)
Height49 metre
GSLV Milestones
GSLV-F06 launched GSAT-5P on December 25, 2010 (Unsuccessful)
GSLV-D3 launched GSAT-4 on April 15, 2010 (Unsuccessful)
GSLV-F04 launched INSAT-4CR on September 2, 2007 (Successful)
GSLV-F02 launched INSAT-4C on July 10, 2006 (Unsuccessful)
GSLV-F01 launched EDUSAT(GSAT-3) on September 20, 2004 (Successful)
GSLV-D2 launched GSAT-2 on May 8, 2003 (Successful)
GSLV-D1 launched GSAT-1 on April 18, 2001 (Successful)


India's Advanced Communication Satellite GSAT-8 Launched Successfully- May 21- 2011

Sulekha Rani.R, P.G.T Chemistry, KV NTPC kayamkulam

India's advanced communication satellite, GSAT-8, was successfully launched at 02:08 hrs on May 21, 2011 by the Ariane-V launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou. French Guiana. Ariane V placed GSAT-8 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of 35,861 km apogee and 258 km perigee, with an orbital inclination of 2.503 deg with respect to equator.

ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka acquired the signals from GSAT-8 satellite immediately after the injection. Initial checks on the satellite have indicated normal health of the satellite. The satellite was captured in three-axis stabilisation mode. Preparations are underway for the firing of 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) during the third orbit of the satellite on May 22, 2011 at 03:58 hrs IST as a first step towards taking the satellite to its geostationary orbital home

GSAT-8, India’s advanced communication satellite, is a high power communication satellite being inducted in the INSAT system. Weighing about 3100 Kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is configured to carry 24 high power transponders in Ku-band and a two-channel GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload operating in L1 and L5 bands.

The 24 Ku band transponders will augment the capacity in the INSAT system. The GAGAN payload provides the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS), through which the accuracy of the positioning information obtained from the GPS Satellite is improved by a network of ground based receivers and made available to the users in the country through the geostationary satellites.

Mission

Communication

Weight

3093 kg (Mass at Lift – off)
1426 kg (Dry Mass)

Power

Solar array providing 6242 watts three 100 Ah Lithium Ion batteries

Physical Dimensions

2.0 x 1.77 x 3.1m cuboid

Propulsion

440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motors (LAM) with mono Methyl Hydrazine (MMH) as fuel and Mixed oxides of Nitrogen (MON-3) as oxidizer for orbit raising.

Stabilisation

3-axis body stabilised in orbit using Earth Sensors, Sun Sensors, Momentum and Reaction Wheels, Magnetic Torquers and eight 10 Newton and eight 22 Newton bipropellant thrusters

Antennas

Two indigenously developed 2.2 m diameter transmit/receive polarisation sensitive dual grid shaped beam deployable reflectors with offset-fed feeds illumination for Ku-band; 0.6 m C-band and 0.8x0.8 sq m L-band helix antenna for GAGAN

Launch date

May 21, 2011

Launch site

Kourou, French Guiana

Launch vehicle

Ariane-5 VA-202

Orbit

Geosynchronous (55° E)

Mission life

More Than 12 Years


Activated Graphene Makes Superior Supercapacitors for Energy Storage

New material combines high storage capacity with quick energy release and unlimited recharge

Sulekha Rani.R , P.G.T Chemistry, KV NTPC Kayamkulam


(Dong Su and Eric Stach use a powerful electron microscope to analyze samples of activated graphene at Brookhaven’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials. Says Stach: “The CFN provides access to scientists around the world to solve cutting-edge problems in nanoscience and nanotechnology. This work is exactly what this facility was established to do.”)

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have helped to uncover the nanoscale structure of a novel form of carbon, contributing to an explanation of why this new material acts like a super-absorbent sponge when it comes to soaking up electric charge. The material, which was recently created at The University of Texas - Austin, can be incorporated into “supercapacitor” energy-storage devices with remarkably high storage capacity while retaining other attractive attributes such as superfast energy release, quick recharge time, and a lifetime of at least 10,000 charge/discharge cycles.

“Those properties make this new form of carbon particularly attractive for meeting electrical energy storage needs that also require a quick release of energy — for instance, in electric vehicles or to smooth out power availability from intermittent energy sources, such as wind and solar power,” said Brookhaven materials scientist Eric Stach, a co-author on a paper describing the material published in Science on May 12, 2011.

Supercapacitors are similar to batteries in that both store electric charge. Batteries do so through chemical reactions between metallic electrodes and a liquid electrolyte. Because these chemicals take time to react, energy is stored and released relatively slowly. But batteries can store a lot of energy and release it over a fairly long time.

Supercapacitors, on the other hand, store charge in the form of ions on the surface of the electrodes, similar to static electricity, rather than relying on chemical reactions. Charging the electrodes causes ions in the electrolyte to separate, or polarize, as well — so charge gets stored at the interface between the electrodes and the electrolyte. Pores in the electrode increase the surface area over which the electrolyte can flow and interact — increasing the amount of energy that can be stored.

(Atomic resolution electron micrograph of activated graphene. The images show that the material is composed of single sheets of crystalline carbon, which are highly curved to form a three-dimensional porous network.)

But because most supercapacitors can’t hold nearly as much charge as batteries, their use has been limited to applications where smaller amounts of energy are needed quickly, or where long life cycle is essential, such as in mobile electronic devices.

The new material developed by the UT-Austin researchers may change that. Supercapacitors made from it have an energy-storage capacity, or energy density, that is approaching the energy density of lead-acid batteries, while retaining the high power density — that is, rapid energy release — that is characteristic of supercapacitors.

“This new material combines the attributes of both electrical storage systems,” said University of Texas team leader Rodney Ruoff. “We were rather stunned by its exceptional performance.”

The UT-Austin team had set out to create a more porous form of carbon by using potassium hydroxide to restructure chemically modified graphene platelets — a form of carbon where the atoms are arrayed in tile-like rings laying flat to form single-atom-thick sheets. Such “chemical activation” has been previously used to create various forms of “activated carbon,” which have pores that increase surface area and are used in filters and other applications, including supercapacitors.

But because this new form of carbon was so superior to others used in supercapacitors, the UT-Austin researchers knew they’d need to characterize its structure at the nanoscale.

Ruoff had formed a hypothesis that the material consisted of a continuous three-dimensional porous network with single-atom-thick walls, with a significant fraction being “negative curvature carbon,” similar to inside-out buckyballs. He turned to Stach at Brookhaven for help with further structural characterization to verify or refute this hypothesis.

Stach and Brookhaven colleague Dong Su conducted a wide range of studies ..“Our studies revealed that Ruoff’s hypothesis was in fact correct, and that the material’s three-dimensional nanoscale structure consists of a network of highly curved, single-atom-thick walls forming tiny pores with widths ranging from 1 to 5 nanometers, or billionths of a meter.”

The study includes detailed images of the fine pore structure and the carbon walls themselves, as well as images that show how these details fit into the big picture. “The data from NSLS were crucial to showing that our highly local characterization was representative of the overall material,” Stach said.

“We’re still working with Ruoff and his team to pull together a complete description of the material structure. We’re also adding computational studies to help us understand how this three-dimensional network forms, so that we can potentially tailor the pore sizes to be optimal for specific applications, including capacitive storage, catalysis, and fuel cells,” Stach said.

Meanwhile, the scientists say the processing techniques used to create the new form of carbon are readily scalable to industrial production. “This material — being so easily manufactured from one of the most abundant elements in the universe — will have a broad range impacts on research and technology in both energy storage and energy conversion,” Ruoff said.

The work at Brookhaven was supported by DOE’s Office of Science; the UT - Austin team’s research was supported by the Office of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the Advanced Technology Institute.

The Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory is one of the five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), premier national user facilities for interdisciplinary research at the nanoscale. Together the NSRCs comprise a suite of complementary facilities that provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate, process, characterize and model nanoscale materials, and constitute the largest infrastructure investment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The NSRCs are located at DOE’s Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge and Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

58th National Film Awards 2010 (India) - winners



Congratulations to all Winners and their team
By Sulekha Rani.R

The Government of India's Directorate of Film Festivals announced their 58th National Film Awards in New Delhi. The National Film Awards is the leading film award given in India. The awards were dominated by Southern Indian films in Tamil and Mayalayam.

The Best Feature Film was the Malayalam film
Adaminte Makan Abu by Salim Ahamed. It also received best cinematography and best music direction, and the award for best actor (Salim Kumar).

The Tamil film
Aadukalam by Vetrimaran received the most trophies, taking a total of six for best director and original screenplay for Vetrimaran, actor (Dhaush), editing, choreography and special mention for V.I.S. Jayaraman. Dhaush was the co-recipient of the Best Actor award with Salim Kumar.

Winners are selected by jury. For this year's awards, the Feature Films jury was headed by JP Dutta, the Non-Feature Films jury by AK Bir and Best Writing on Cinema jury was led by Ashok Vajpeyi.

Complete list of winners for the 58th National Film Awards

BEST FEATURE FILM
Adaminte Makan Abu
(Malayalam), Producer: Salim Ahamed, Director: Salim Ahamed

INDIRA GANDHI AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FILM OF A DIRECTOR
Baboo Band Baaja
(Marathi), Director: Rajesh Pinjani

AWARD FOR BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT
Dabangg
(Hindi), Director: Abhinav Singh Kashyap

NARGIS DUTT AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION
Moner Manush (Bengali), Director: Goutam Ghose

BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES
Champions
(Marathi), Director: Ramesh More

BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/PRESERVATION
Bettada Jeeva (Kannada), Director: P Sheshadri

BEST CHILDREN'S FILM
Hejjegalu
(Kannada), Director: PR Ramadas Naidu

BEST DIRECTION
Vetrimaran for
Aadukalam (Tamil)

BEST ACTOR
Dhanush for
Aadukalam (Tamil) and Salim Kumar for Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

BEST ACTRESS
Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar for
Baboo Band Baaja (Marathi) and Saranya Ponvannan for Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
J Thambi Ramaiah for
Mynaa (Tamil)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sukumari for
Namma Gramam (Tamil)

BEST CHILD ARTIST
Harsh Mayar for
I am Kalam (Hindi), Shantanu Ranganekar and Machindra Gadkar for Champions (Marathi) and Vivek Chabukswar forBaboo Band Baaja (Marathi)

BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER
Suresh Wadkar for
Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK SINGER
Rekha Bhardwaj for
Ishqiya (Hindi)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Madhu Ambat for
Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

BEST SCREENPLAY: (Original)
Vetrimaran for
Aadukalam (Tamil)

BEST SCREENPLAY: (Adapted)
Anant Mahadevan and Sanjay Pawar for
Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

BEST SCREENPLAY: (Dialogues)
Sanjay Pawar for
Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY
Kaamod Kharade (Location Sound Recordist) for
Ishqiya (Hindi)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY
Subhadeep Sengupta (Sound Designer) for
Chitrasutram (Malayalam)

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY
Debajit Changmai (Re-recordist of the final mixed track) for
Ishqiya (Hindi)

BEST EDITING
TE Kishore for
Aadukalam (Tamil)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Sabu Cyril for
Enthiran (Tamil)

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER
Indrans Jayan for
Namma Gramam (Tamil)

BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST
Vikram Gaikwad for
Moner Manush (Bengali)

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION (Songs)
Vishal Bhardwaj for
Ishqiya (Hindi)

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION (Background Score)
Issak Thomas Kottakapally for
Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

BEST LYRICS
Vairamuthu for
Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil)

SPECIAL JURY AWARD
Mee Sindhutai Sapkal
(Marathi), Producer: Bindiya and Sachin Khanolkar, Director: Anant Narayan Mahadevan

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
V Srinivas M Mohan for
Enthiran (Tamil)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Dinesh Kumar for
Aadukalam (Tamil)

BEST FEATURE FILM IN EACH OF THE LANGUAGE SPECIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE VIII OF THE CONSTITUTION

BEST ASSAMESE FILM
Jetuka Patar Dare, Producer: Md. Noorul Sultan, Director: Jadumoni Dutta Rajat Kamal

BEST BENGALI FILM
Ami Aadu, Producer: New Theatres Pvt. Ltd, Director: Sonmath Gupta Rajat Kamal

BEST HINDI FILM
Do Dooni Char, Producer: Arindam Chaudhuri, Director: Habib Faisal

BEST KANNADA FILM
Puttakkana Highway, Producer: Shylaja Nag and Prakash Raj, Director: B Suresha

BEST MALAYALAM FILM
Veettilekkulla Vazhi, Producer: BC Joshi, Director: Dr Biju

BEST MARATHI FILM
Mala Aai Vhhaychay, Producer: Samruddhi Porey, Director: Samruddhi Porey

BEST TAMIL FILM
Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru, Producer: Shibu Isaac, Director: Seenu Ramasamy

BEST ENGLISH FILM
Memories in March, Producer: Shrikant Mohta, Director: Sanjoy Nag

SPECIAL MENTION
Bettada Jeeva
(Kannada), the late Dr. Shivaram Karanth
Aadukalam
(Tamil), VIS Jayaraman

NON-FEATURE FILMS


BEST NON-FEATURE FILM
Germ
(Hindi), Director: Snehal R Nair

BEST DEBUT NON-FEATURE FILM OF A DIRECTOR
Pistulya
(Marathi & Telugu), Director: Nagraj Manjule

BEST ETHNOGRAPHIC FILM
Songs of Mashangva
(Tangkhul, Manipuri & English), Director: Oinam Doren

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FILM
Nilamadhaba
(English), Director: Dilip Patnaik

BEST ARTS AND CULTURE FILM
Leaving Home
(English & Hindi), Director: Jaideep Varma

BEST SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FILM
Heart to Heart
(Manipuri & English), Director: Bachaspatimayum Sunzu

BEST PROMOTIONAL FILM
Ek Ropa Dhan
(Hindi), Director: Biju Toppo and Meghnath Bhattacharjee

BEST ENVIRONMENT FILM
Iron is Hot (English), Director: Biju Toppo and Meghnath Bhattacharjee

BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES
Understanding Trafficking
(Bengali, Hindi & English), Director: Ananya Chakraborti

BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM
Advaitham
(Telugu), Director: Pradeep Maadugula

BEST FILM ON SPORTS
Boxing Ladies
(Hindi), Director: Anusha Nandakumar

BEST INVESTIGATIVE FILM
A Pestering Journey
(Malayalam, Punjabi, Hindi, English & Tulu), Director: KR Manoj

SPECIAL JURY AWARD
Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein
(Hindi), Director: Shabnam Virmani

SHORT FICTION FILM
Kal 15 August Dukan Band Rahegi
(Hindi)
Director: Prateek Vats

BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUES
Love in India
(Bengali & English), Director: Kaushik Mukherjee

BEST DIRECTION
Shyam Raat Seher
(Hindi & Engish), Director: Arunima Sharma

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Shyam Raat Seher
(Hindi & English), Cameraman: Murali G

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY
Harikumar Madhavan Nair (Re-recordist - final mixed track) for
A Pestering Journey (Malayalam, Punjabi, Hindi English and Tulu)

BEST EDITING
Tinni Mitra for
Germ (Hindi)

BEST NARRATION: (for Writing the Narration)
Nilanjan Bhattacharya for
Johar: Welcome to Our World (Hindi and English)

SPECIAL MENTION
Ottayal (One Woman Alone)
(Malayalam), Director: Shiny Jacob Benjamin
The Zeliangrongs
(Manipuri & English), Director: Ronel Haobam
Pistulya
(Marathi & Telugu), Child Artist: Suraj Pawar

BEST WRITING ON CINEMA


BEST BOOK ON CINEMA
From Rajahs and Yogis to Gandhi and Beyond: Images of India in International Films of the Twentieth Century
(English), Vijaya Mulay
Special Mention:
Cinema Bhojpuri (English), Avijit Ghosh
Special Mention:
Thiraicheelai (Tamil), Oviyar Jeeva

BEST FILM CRITIC
Joshy Joseph (English)
N Manu Chakravarthy (Kannada & English)