The ISRO is mulling over missions to Venus or an asteroid and is under discussions for these, apart from a second mission to Mars, ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said on Thursday.

ISRO also has a number of launches in the coming years including the Chandrayaan-2 and a joint mission with NASA, Mr. Kumar told a press conference.

Following the successful launch of GSLV-F05, Mr. Kiran Kumar said ISRO plans to launch at least two GSLV Mark II missions every year.

‘Scientists confident’

Asked whether the space organisation is now comfortable with the indigenous cryogenic stage, a complex system compared to solid and earth-storable liquid propellant rocket stages, S. Somanath, Director, Liquid Propulsion System Centre, ISRO, said the scientists were very confident about it.

“The cryogenic stage has settled into a system today. After the failure of the first stage, we identified the problems, conducted very detailed analysis and studies. Lots of tests were done simulating actual conditions, and they were very successful. We have mastered the technology,” Mr. Somanath said.

He said ISRO was developing another engine, C-25, that will be twice as powerful as the current one.

ISRO now expects the GSLV to pick up business like the PSLV.

[Source:-The Hindu]