Landmark ISRO moment; launch of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic engine a success

This was the first ever operational launch of a GSLV rocket with an indigenous engine.

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India’s GSLV-F05 rocket, carrying the advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR, took off from the second launch pad at India’s rocket port at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday at 4:50pm with a deep growl.

The 49.1 metre tall rocket, weighing 415.2 tonne rapidly rose towards the blue sky, spewing a thick orange plume.

Around 17 minutes after lift-off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 4.50 p.m., the GSLV rocket slung the 2,211 kg satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), from where it would be guided to its final geostationary orbit. The launch was delayed by 40 minutes as the fuelling of the third stage of the rocket took longer than expected.

"Today we reached one more landmark, successfully putting the weather monitoring satellite into orbit," ISRO's Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said.

According to ISRO, the satellite incorporates technological improvements like: (a) imaging in middle infrared band to provide nighttime pictures of low clouds and fog, (b) imaging in two thermal infrared bands for better estimating sea surface temperature and (c) higher spatial resolution in the visible and thermal infrared bands.

The successful launch catapults India into the big league of the few nations that have indigenous cryogenic engine capabilities. This was the first ever operational launch of a GSLV rocket with an indigenous engine. This was also the highest mass lift off by any GSLV, with a satellite weighing 2,211 Kg.

The mision control room erupted in applause as the mission was declared a success almost 12 minutes into launch. The first operational launch is a massive advancement for India as it can now depend on its own rockets for launching heavy payloads. It will also be a game changer as India can now confidently enter the multi-billion dollar commercial space launcher market.

Director of ISRO, K Sivan said, "Make in India GSLV has been made operational. Lifted highest mass satellite into orbit. Fruit of excellent work done by ISRO".

This is the seventh successful mission this year, said R Kunhikrishnan, director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC).This is also the 10th successful mission in a row.

The launch was delayed by 40 minutes over an 'anomaly', the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO has said. The take-off, from the launch pad of Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, was scheduled for 4.10 pm, but was later held at 4.50 pm.

President Mukherjee congratulated ISRO on the pinnacle moment.

This is the first operational flight of GSLV carrying indigenously developed CUS --- Congratulations ISRO Team ! #PresidentMukherjee — President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) September 8, 2016

India’s first test-flight of the GSLV with a cryogenic engine happened in April 2001 and it was a failure.

Of the eight GSLV launches later, five used cryogenic engines provided by Russia. But after Russia reneged on its deal, India has been trying to develop and test run its indigenous cryogenic engines. Five out of nine GSLV flights were a failure.

India’s first successful test-flight with an indigenous engine was in January 2014.

The GSLV is a three stage rocket. The first stage is fired by solid fuel and its four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second is powered by liquid fuel and the third is the ISRO-developed cryogenic engine that is more efficient as it provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant burnt.

ISRO is perfecting the crucial cryogenic engine technology to save precious foreign exchange by launching heavier satellites on its own.

ISRO currently relies on the European Space Agency's Ariane rocket to launch its heavy communication satellites.



India pays around Rs 500 crore ($75 million) as the launch fee for sending up a 3.5 tonne communication satellite. The satellite cost is separate.



ISRO can now launch satellites weighing around 2-2.5 tonnes till such time it readies an advanced GSLV variant -- GSLV-Mark III -- that can lug satellites weighing around four tonnes.

(With inputs from Venkatachari Jagannathan/ IANS)

#WATCH ISRO launches GSLV-F05 carrying advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR from the spaceport of Sriharikota. pic.twitter.com/YeCi2S20tu — ANI (@ANI_news) September 8, 2016