The Indian space agency, ISRO, today successfully launched its small rocket, SSLV-D3, into space. Though the launch was essentially for testing the new rocket—today’s launch was the third test flight—the rocket carried an earth observation satellite, EOS-08. The 175.5 kg satellite was placed at an altitude of 475 km above earth, at an inclination of 37.4 degrees. The rocket also carried a tiny, 200 gram DEMOSAT, for the Chennai-based Space Kidz India.
“The third development flight of SSLV (SSLV-D3) with EOS satellite has been successfully accomplished. The rocket has placed the spacecraft at the precise orbit as planned,” said ISRO Chairman S Somanath, speaking from the mission control room after the launch. “I find that there are no deviations in the injection conditions. The final orbit will be known after tracking. However, the current indication is that everything is perfect. The two satellites have been injected after the manoeuvres,” he added.
“With this third development flight of SSLV, we can declare that the development process of SSLV has been completed,” he said.
ISRO, known for its big rockets such as PSLV, GSLV and LVM-3, is developing a class of small rockets, the ‘small satellite launch vehicle’ (SSLV), for launching satellites that weigh no more than 500 kg. There is a big market for launching such satellites, which are used for earth observation, imaging and communication. Many private sector companies, such as the startup Agnikul Cosmos, are making small rockets for small satellites.
ISRO is in the process of transfer of SSLV technology to industries, but alongside will also start producing the rockets. “It is a great beginning for the rocket and small satellite launch vehicle,” Somnath said.
The SSLV, a three-part rocket (each of which will detach itself after its fuel is exhausted), can launch mini, micro or nano satellites (10 to 500 kg) to an altitude of up to 500 km. Previously, ISRO sent up two developmental flights of the SSLV rocket. The first flight of the SSLV on August 7, 2022, ended in failure but its second flight on February 10, 2023, was successful.
While the SSLV rocket might well turn out to be a proverbial feather in ISRO’s cap, the small satellite it ferried today, EOS-08, is also a tech-rich one. It incorporates an advanced avionics system (‘communication, baseband, storage and positioning package’). ISRO explained that the system has been designed with commercial, off-the-shelf components and evaluation boards, and can support up to 400 GB of storage.
The EOS-08 carried three instruments: Electro Optical Infrared (EOIR) Payload, Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload and SiC UV Dosimeter.
The EOIR payload is designed to make images by capturing mid and long-range segments of infra-red radiation, just as a camera makes images by capturing light. The instrument will be useful for applications such as satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring, fire detection, volcanic activity observation, and industrial and power plant disaster monitoring.