The Indian manned spacecraft

[Idobox]

That's a great accomplishment for India. But the only thing I can think of, is that Europe still doesn't have their own, and that pisses me off.

We have excellent rockets, the second largest budget in the world (ESA alone is a bit smaller than Roscosmos, but you have to add CNES, DLR and all), we keep sending people to ISS (19 to date), we have of course sent much less people in space than either USA or Russia, but more than Japan, Canada, China and all the other big space powers.

Yet, we still have to hitch a ride on Russian, and soon private American ships. We have the ATV, how much harder can it be to add a re-entry capsule to it?

[Tommygun]

Well ESA problem, I think, is that it is made up of several countries and trying to get them all to agree on having manned flight and then on a single design is challenging.

Maybe they could make a deal to trade service modules for Orions if they want to launch some on their own.

Well, if they can launch something that heavy.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Tommygun

[Drunken Hobo]

Well ESA problem, I think, is that it is made up of several countries and trying to get them all to agree on having manned flight and then on a single design is challenging.

It could even be the exact opposite problem. Because ESA is made up of so many different countries they don't have the same sense of national pride that USA/Russia have, and don't need a flagship manned spacecraft. They have no problem in using others' equipment.

Whereas it's pretty embarrassing for the USA to currently have no manned capsule and have to piggyback off of the Russians.

[Nibb31]

Maybe they could make a deal to trade service modules for Orions if they want to launch some on their own.

Well, if they can launch something that heavy.

That's why ESA is building the Orion MPCV Service Module: to get seats on it.

You can consider that Orion is half European, therefore ESA does have a manned spacecraft.

[astropapi1]

We have the ATV, how much harder can it be to add a re-entry capsule to it?

Well, they kinda did. You see, there's this spaceship called "Orion"...

[Idobox]

ESA exists in the first place because Europe didn't want to be dependant on US rockets, especially since the US were not playing fair with commercial satellites. But somehow, we accept the situation when it's about manned spaceflight, and we're getting screwed again.

For example, ESA spent about 9billion$ out the roughly 100billion$ ISS has cost, so 9% give or take (difficult to measure the cost of ISS), but we got only 19 flights over the 361 that happened, closer to 5%. And JAXA and CSA are in comparable situations.

Orion will be launched by USA on a US rocket from a US base following US agenda and regulations. It's an American ship with a European component, and we will still have to beg/haggle every time we want to send somebody, because we are dependant.

[Tommygun]

That's why ESA is building the Orion MPCV Service Module: to get seats on it.

You can consider that Orion is half European, therefore ESA does have a manned spacecraft.

Yes, I was just think if they really wanted to be able to launch their own.

But they would need to modify an Ariane 5 and that would probably end up being something like a Liberty rocket.

I guess it would be cheaper to buy smaller capsules from private companies as NASA is doing.

[Nibb31]

Yes, I was just think if they really wanted to be able to launch their own.

But they would need to modify an Ariane 5 and that would probably end up being something like a Liberty rocket.

I guess it would be cheaper to buy smaller capsules from private companies as NASA is doing.

The entire Ariane 5 infrastructure would need to be redesigned to support manned launches from Kourou. That's not happening at this stage in the Ariane 5 program and Liberty was never a realistic proposal.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

i notice that the "headlight" shape of the crew capsule happens to bear a good deal of resemblance to an early conception of the soyuz capsule from the early 1960s. i don't imagine the indian designers consciously sourced the idea from the soviets but it's interesting to note the convergence of good ideas for ballistic entry vehicles from different minds, decades apart.

compare:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/31907122/sever62.PNG

The "headlight shape" of Soyuz comes from the sides of the capsule being curved. This has straight sides except at the top. It's much more similar to Dragon: a traditional frustrum shape with extra-steep sides.

[xenomorph555]

UPDATE:

The capsule being mated to the rocket adapter:

Launch between 15-20 December.

[sal_vager]

Interesting xenomorph555, oh and stickied for December

[Kryten]

The "headlight shape" of Soyuz comes from the sides of the capsule being curved. This has straight sides except at the top. It's much more similar to Dragon: a traditional frustrum shape with extra-steep sides.

Bear in mind many of the images are contradictory. ISRO have had a habit of releasing images with the wrong aspect ratio in the past, and it seems they've not quite kicked it...

[Tech Support]

The launch is actually more focused on the fact this will be the first test of the GSLV MK-3. The manned mission is on the back burner for ISRO but still, it will be an interesting launch.

Note: This image is of the Mock-Up GSLV 3 that ISRO made a few years ago.

[Tech Support]

The Launch has been confirmed for the 3rd week of December !! The image gallery shows the rocket integration and assembly

The partially integrated vehicle with S200 Strap-ons and L110 Core Stage outside the Vehicle Assembly Building

Edited December 10, 2014 by Tech Support

[Tech Support]

[FanaticalFighter]

The rocket is the most Kerbal looking rocket I've seen. Short, squat and with tons of boosters, and follows a weird staging sequence (SRBs first, then liquid engines on the core stage after SRB's are burning out, then the third stage)

[Tech Support]

The rocket is the most Kerbal looking rocket I've seen. Short, squat and with tons of boosters, and follows a weird staging sequence (SRBs first, then liquid engines on the core stage after SRB's are burning out, then the third stage)

SRB, Core and then the next stage..... isn't that the sequence for almost every rocket ??

[Kibble]

SRB, Core and then the next stage..... isn't that the sequence for almost every rocket ??

The core engines actually don't ignite until just before SRB separation. I think this is the first rocket, and deffi the first manned rocket that's done that.

[Tech Support]

wow, that is Kerbal.

ps. Its not manned. ISRO will probably use its future ULV for that.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Tech Support

[Kibble]

Oh I read on wikipedia they were eventually going to launch their OV on this. Maybe thats outdated info D:

[Kryten]

The core engines actually don't ignite until just before SRB separation. I think this is the first rocket, and deffi the first manned rocket that's done that.

Same for the boosted version of Titan III, and indeed ISRO's own ASLV rocket.

[xenomorph555]

Oh I read on wikipedia they were eventually going to launch their OV on this. Maybe thats outdated info D:

They are going to launch it on GLSV mk3. Not only will the ULV series not be ready for a 2020 manned launch but also the fact that the ULV is basically the GLSV mk3.

Heres the picture:

[xenomorph555]

Also here are some other nice images from construction of the capsule:

Being put in the fairing:

[B787_300]

The launch is on the 18th by the way

[Kryten]

The launch is on the 18th by the way

And should be one of three launches that day, though we aren't likely to see much coverage for one of them.