ISRO will launch meteorological satellite into space onboard a Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) this evening from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The agency will be using a rocket that has been dubbed the “naughty boy” of the Indian space agency.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), which is scheduled to lift off with the INSAT-3DS satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 5.35 pm on Saturday, was called “naughty boy” by a former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since the rocket has not performed adequately in six of its 15 flights – a failure rate of 40 per cent. The last launch of the GSLV, on May 29, 2023, was successful but the one before that – on August 12, 2021 – was a failure.
It will be the rocket’s 16th mission overall and its 10th flight using the indigenously developed cryogenic engine.
The mission is to place INSAT 3DS at into a geo synchronous transfer orbit. The objective of the mission is to monitor the earth’s surface and carry out Oceanic observations and the environment in various spectral channels of meteorological significance.
“The 27 hour count down for ISRO ‘s GSLV F14 mission has been progressing smoothly for the launch.
According to ISRO officials, the mission will figure out various meteorological parameters of the atmosphere and provide data on important aspects related to weather and satellite aided search and rescue services. INSAT-3Ds satellite is a follow on mission of Third Generation Meteorological satellite from Geo stationary orbit. The mission designed for monitoring land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning along with INSAT 3D and 3DR which are in orbit. The payloads of the satellite are optical radio meter, sounder payload, data relay transponder and search and rescue transponder.
The satellite being launched on Saturday is very special and is much needed as it will help boost India’s weather and climate monitoring services. Called INSAT-3DS, it is a third-generation upgraded, dedicated meteorological satellite. The satellite weighs 2,274 kg and has been built at a cost of about ₹ 480 crore. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said ISRO.
“Indian weather satellites have been a game changer. Satellites are truly the eyes in the sky that have helped India forecast cyclones with great precision,” said Dr M Ravichandran, an accomplished atmosphere and ocean science specialist, secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Now India has to wait and see if the “naughty boy” of ISRO has been duly tamed into obedience or it continues to be ‘misbehaved’.