ISROs biggest rocket takes off with cutting-edge communication satellite

Adm Desk Nov 16, 2018

The GSLV Mk-III is expected to be the launcher for ISRO’s ambitious human spaceflight programme.

Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched its latest GSAT-29 communications satellite on the new and powerful GSLV Mk-III on Wednesday night.

The rocket took off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 5.08pm.

For a long time, the GSLV Mk-III is a giant, bigger and better than any other rocket that ISRO has produced before.

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Although it has yet to be qualified as human, the rocket is expected to carry astronauts when India attempts its first human spaceflight, which is being pursued by the ISRO with a deadline of 2022 in mind. It is also likely to carry the payload of Chandrayaan-2, India's second lunar exploration mission, in January next year.

Wednesday's mission will mark the second development flight of the GSLV Mk-III, after which the rocket will be declared operational.

The first one took place last year, when it launched GSAT-19 in June.

The mission

The mission, called GSLV Mk III-D2 / GSAT-29, aims to provide high-speed bandwidth to ISRO Villages Resource Centers (VRC).

Established in partnership with NGOs, trusts and state governments, VRCs use satellite technology to bring services such as non-formal education, skills development and agricultural advisories to remote rural areas of India.

GSLV Mk III-D2 / GSAT-29 strives specifically to improve communication services in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and in the northeast.

GSAT-29

The main thrust of this task is an advanced communications satellite, which has been classified as high performance and capable of providing twice the efficiency of the normal satellite on the same spectrum.

It is a multi-beam multi-beam satellite with specially designed transponders designed to penetrate the hard-to-reach mountainous regions of India.

The 3423 kg satellite will be placed in a 190,000 km / h 35975 km synchronous transport orbit, and a series of burns will then be installed in the geostationary orbit at 35,786 kilometers.

The satellite will also operate with the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) constellation and is expected to operate for at least 10 years.

In addition to the main load, the missile will also carry three experimental payloads that will be developed for future launches.

These are: twin satellites that run across microwave wavelengths; experimental payload for optical communication (use of light for data transmission in space); and high resolution camera for terrestrial images.

All payloads are expected to provide India's digital program in the country.

GSLV Mk-III

The functional GSLV Mk-III has been a long rocket to arrive. It was even expected to launch the Mangalyaan, the successful Mars orbiting mission of India, five years ago, but it was reconceptualized to be more powerful.

It is the heaviest launch vehicle in India, with twice the load capacity of its predecessor, the GSLV Mk-II. It has a height of 43.5 meters, almost at the height of the Gateway of India, Delhi, and weighs 641,000 kg. It can transport a payload of 10,000 kg to low Earth orbit (600 km) and 4,000 kg to the highest geostationary transfer orbit (35,000 km).

Like other ISRO rockets, it is divided into three stages: the first consists of the central central stage flanked by two solid reinforcements, which transport solid fuel. The solid propellant is the third largest solid rocket engine in the world, after the space shuttle and Ariane 5 propellers. The second stage transports liquid fuel and is powered by two Vikas 2 engines with improved propulsion.

The third, known as the upper cryogenic stage and called C25, uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen as fuel, providing the necessary thrust in the last stage of the flight. At the top of the third stage is the spacecraft inside the fairing of the payload, the protective shield for the payload.

The success of Wednesday's mission will be essential to declare the GSLV Mk-III operational and ready for use in future missions.