Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Feb 10: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched the second edition of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2) from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The launch took place at 9.18 am.
The SSLV rocket carrying three satellites Isro’s Earth Observation Satellite EOS-07, Janus-1 belonging to ANTARIS of the US and AzaadiSat-2 belonging to Space Kidz India, Chennai — lifts off from the first launchpad at Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh.
ISRO tweeted, “SSLV-D2/EOS-07 Mission is accomplished successfully. SSLV-D2 placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into their intended orbits.”
SSLV-D2/EOS-07 Mission is accomplished successfully.
SSLV-D2 placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into their intended orbits.
— ISRO (@isro) February 10, 2023
ISRO’s first mission in 2023 and SSLV’s sequel saw a strange coincidence it was launched at 9.18 AM, the same time its predecessor lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here on August 7, 2022, but could not deliver due to an orbit anomaly and flight path deviation.
Chairman of ISRO, S. Somanath said SSLV in its second flight put the three satellites in the intended orbit with precision. He further said from the mission control centre (MCC), “Congratulations to the space community of India…we have a new launch vehicle, the small satellite SSLV. In its second attempt, SSLV D2 placed the satellites in the intended orbit precisely. Congrats to all three satellite teams”.
According to ISRO, SSLV is capable of launching mini, micro or nanosatellites in the 10-500 kg segment into the 500 km planar orbit. It caters to the launch of satellites to Low Earth Orbits (LEO) on a launch-on-demand basis. It provides low-cost access to Space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and demands minimal launch infrastructure, ISRO added. It is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module.
Also, the SSLV is a 34 m tall, 2 m diameter vehicle having a lift-off mass of 120 tonnes and the rocket is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module.
