Wednesday, August 31 2005 12:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Development of prototypes of the instrumentation, which marks the first phase of India's science satellite `ASTROSAT', has been completed, according to its Principal Investigator Prof P C Agrawal of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

The design review, which forms the second stage of the development of the country's first multi-wavelength satellite, which is due for launch in 2007, is undergoing a review for quality control and reliability through various processes, including simulation and thermo chamber tests, Agrawal said.

The work on hardware of the satellite has begun and several institutions are participating in the making of sub-systems including telemetry and antennae, he said on the sidelines of an exhibition on the World of Astronomical Observatories at Nehru Science Centre (NSC) here today (August 30, 2005).

The final payload testing -- including vibration tests -- will be conducted by Indian Space Research Organisation in Bangalore before it is shifted to the launching pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (formerly Sriharikota), he said.

The satellite, which will have a total payload of 1.6 tonnes, will be launched with Polar Satellite Launching Vehicle (PSLV) at 8-degree inclination to the equator and put on the equatorial orbit at 650 kms, he said.

The satellite will be an international facility and about 20 per cent of the observation time would be given to scientists from abroad, he added.