Non Government Rocket Program and its Importance in

Development of India. A copyright report by International Indian University.

Rocket a most advance machine, a bench mark of Technological Development, paradoxically,

at the same time is known to mankind since 2000 years. Rockets are not new to our part of the
world. War Potential of Rockets was first introduced to the Modern World by India. But, we
lagged behind in the further evolution and exploit of Rocket Technology for its complete
potential uses in other science disciplines. After Independence, Government of India proactively
took initiative to reinstate the Space program. Department of Space, Government of Indias
Space Organization started shaping the Rocket Launch Vehicles. India has come a long way
from ferrying a sounding Rocket on bicycle in 1968 to todays maiden success of Mars Orbiter
Mission. Aside this glorious success of civilian space application based Indian Space Program
today has overlooked several other low cost Rocket program benefiting the Farmers, Graduate
students and Space Researchers. We have not yet created space awareness attracting aspirant
researchers for the contribution in Rocket Development. Being a government program Space
Missions / programs of India still caged in Iron bars. Over 100 million population of India has
remained unknown from the importance and involvement of Rocket Launch Programs & Space
Research let alone the emerging commercial space Industry.
Our attempt is to introduce the small Rocket fleet of space access/ travel for the altitude range of
4 to 250 km. We insist on private sector and Education Institutions direct involvement in
lucrative aspects of Rocket Launch Industry, rapid low cost development of Rocket by private
sector. Agriculture Rockets for Artificial Rain and Hail-Suppression for drought affected regions
is a major scope of Rocket Industry in our part of the world which has remained unexplored.
Advocating the private Space market will benefit and relate all of us directly with Commercial
Rocket Industry. The vision for the same is at the center stage of the discussion. Author intends
to detail the uses, benefits of the Sounding Rockets for Meteorology, Agriculture and Earths
Atmosphere.
Sounding Rockets derive its name from the nautical phrase to sound which
means to take measurement. This measuring instrument / experiment constitute a payload section
in Rocket. At its maximum apogee after the engine burn out Rocket tries to separate the payload
section in flight for atmosphere / space related measuring instruments and antennas. This data of
the sensors of experimental payload is transmitted to the ground station network in control room
by the onboard telemetry system or saved onboard. Unlike the satellite launch vehicles the
sounding rockets do not achieve the orbital velocity and the experiment payload due to gravity
return back to earth with slow descent rate safely with the help of parachute recovery system.
This experiment then is taken back to the research lab for its further analysis.

A copyright report by International Indian University. All rights reserved

Four main application of most potential commercial market utility of the Rocket are:

Meteorological Research Flights,

Cloud seeding for artificial rain and hail suppression
Astronomy and Microgravity Space Research payload of X-Ray, Cosmic ray, plasma
physics experiments, etc
Education: Problem Based Learning Solution.

The Meteorological Department across the world uses balloon borne wind measuring instrument
called Radiosonde for weather studies up to average 40 km altitude. Higher altitude is achieved
with the Rockets. Vertical Distribution profile of Ozone layer concentration in stratospheric is
possible only with the help of Rocket Flights. A solar MUV photometer developed at the
physical research laboratory, Ahmadabad to measure the ozone concentration in stratospheric
and mesospheric levels.[1] These instruments launched last time in late 80s onboard the USSR
Rocket from Thumba, India. The same meteorology instruments if launched today with Indian
Private Rocket systems will cost very affordable launch rate. In the USA the lightening thunder
electricity is measured and analyzed with the help of rockets. The electric flexible lead wires are
wrapped around the rocket body and fired in stormy clouds. This helps the Meteorological
department in prediction of possible lightening in the region. Another weather phenomenon
called as Noctilucent Clouds or Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC) its connection with air
pollution is only possible to be studied by Rockets only. They are the highest altitude clouds and
least understood phenomenon visible in deep twilight.
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has the most responsible task of Monsoon season rain
fall prediction in our country. Worlds largest consumer based economy and
market that is rural India, is drastically getting affected every year with
irregular monsoon rains. Cloud seeding rainfall mission is a correct answer
to this irregular monsoon. In cloud seeding process dry ice or silver iodide
crystals are dispersed in a form of aerosol in order to stimulate the
precipitation process causing the rains. In condensation the droplet size
varies in between 2mm to 7 mm. Amongst other various ways of cloud
seeding Rocket has proved most scientific and 100 % effective way. China
in 2008 Olympic Games after successfully prevented the rain in Inaugural
ceremony by the cloud seeding with Rocket fires. Drought affected regions and less irrigation
systems in our country are causing great damage to the rural economy and poor farmers.
Initiating artificial rain with Rockets will be cost saving and worth space technology for crucial
Agriculture industry in India. One more aspect of cloud seeding rockets banks on commercial as
well. The hydroelectric power plants in India in the event of less rain becomes non operational
and cannot generate electricity up the capacity. We end up in huge power cuts. The artificial rain
fall comes to the help of Hydro power stations.

A copyright report by International Indian University. All rights reserved

Three Advanced branches of Astronomy: X-ray, Ultraviolet

and Gamma Ray Astronomy research payload with low cost
can be ferried to the suborbital altitudes with these NonGovernment Rockets. While balloons cannot float above 50
km maximum and satellite orbit around the planet at 250 km of
altitude. The sounding Rockets are only means of space
observation in between these altitudes that includes
stratosphere, Mesosphere and Ionosphere.
Our core Team at launch site.

Researchers across the globe propose their astronomy space payload of respective disciples of Xray Spectra and cosmic radiations. Rocket investigations have provided us a most precise
description of the particles fluxes in Auroras. All our knowledge of ionosphere chemistry,
important for the understanding of upper atmospheric process has come from Sounding Rockets.
The existence of electrical current systems in Ionosphere and the polar and equatorial electro jets
were detected by rockets only.
This short segment of environmental and upper atmospheric experiments researches by the
universities and researches would become more frequent and enhance understanding of the
phenomenon with our rockets.
Microgravity is the most promising sector of suborbital space exploration segment with the help
of sounding rockets. Despite much talks of marvelous space tourism flights huge market will
remain to be that of Microgravity experiments. Microgravity allows the development of new
materials impossible on earth due to the earths gravity. It is possible to produce advance fiber
optics which holds 100% higher theoretical prospects than the conventional in microgravity time
provided by the Sounding Rockets during their freefall. Protein crystals in human body tend to
grow multiple times faster than on earth. So, it is possible to develop new proteins that may help
zoologist, and space medicine experts to build new medicine for fatal incurable diseases like
cancers and muscle degradation.
Space Commercialization Act passed by the United States Congress in 1996 makes illegal for
NASA to carry commercial microgravity payloads on Space Shuttle or vomit comet Rocket. So
in the new emerged era of space commercialization private sector / non-governmental rockets
have a huge market of Latest frontier of Microgravity suborbital Space Research launch services.
Present condition of commercial space market of 33% is contributed by American industries.
This is the long term fruits of American education systems allowing students universities to build
and launch rockets. It has inspired generations to embark the research in rockets and space
technology. 69 % of the Ph.D thesis work in 80s was on sounding Rockets. This is how Rockets
have been proved as a powerful educational tool and a problem based learning solution. One
researcher has rightly said that Launch pad has become a part of the scientific research
laboratory and therefore graduate students must become involved. Rocket research provides best

A copyright report by International Indian University. All rights reserved

opportunity to accomplish this important facet of space program. The first University to realize
and implement the academic value of Rocket launch is International Indian University, Gujarat.
The Aerospace Faculty launch Indias first official sounding Rocket privately built and launched
for education, create awareness and interests of students from various fields. Our Sounding
Rocket Teaching tool trains students in techniques, engineering, logistics and disciplines that are
essential to a successful experiment. Students taking responsibility in the planning, testing and
flying the experiment and analyzing the results they learn that their ideas must be rigorously
thought out and checked constantly. Rocket construction project Provides excellent training for
complex technology pursuits including the satellite research.
Consumers of suborbital space exploration market will
greatly be benefited from the Sugar Fueled Rocket
motors innovation by Indian Private Sector in sounding
Rockets. Six Sigma management of the launch mission
will overcome the irregularities makes a good cost
saving. USD 100 000 per kg launch cost will be
drastically reduced to several hundred per unit weight
of payload. This will certainly open doors for the
affordable space launch missions of individual
researchers to R&D organizations and Universities.
1.5Kms launch at Sangli seens by 5000 people

This is the achievement of non-government build commercial sounding rockets connecting all
the common civilians ranging from farmers to the school students, industries and research
Organizations. The phenomenal out of box thinking, low end disruptive type of innovation will
galvanize the industry and contribute to the development of nation.

References:
[1] Results from the Indo-USSR Ozonsonde Intercomparison Experiment, Indian Academy of
sciences Vol-96 , No.1, March 1987, pp. 25 40
[2] Artificial Rains, S.J.SOLANKI, JT.DIR.AGRI.,GUJARAT, India.
[3] SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CLOUD SEEDING, Prof. T Shivaji Rao,
Director, Center for Environmental Studies, GITAM University
[4] Suborbital Market Handbook, 2010.
[5] http://hobbyspace.com/Blog/?p=8792

A copyright report by International Indian University. All rights reserved