THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the historic launch of the 640 ton, first developmental flight of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) -Mark III (D1) on June 5, the team of scientists from Isro centres here have set their target to launch its second developmental flight GSLV-Mark III –D2 by Jan 2018 with more payload and higher thrust. Ahead of that, two more GSLV launches and three more PSLV launches are planned including the latest PSLV –C38 on June 28.“With the success of the mammoth 640 ton GSLV-Mk III (D1), its second developmental flight of GSLV-Mark III –D2 is planned for Jan next year,” Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director Dr K Sivan told TOI on his return from Sriharikota on Tuesday. He and his team members were accorded a warm reception on their arrival at Trivandrum airport.“Now, this launch has placed a powerful 3,136kg high throughput communication satellite GSAT-19 in geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) which has a mission life of 10 years. Instead of single transponders, it uses a satellite beam with multiple transponders which will facilitate significant leap in digital communication with its high speed data,” he said. Further, he added that the immediate focus is on the launch of PSLV-C38 by June 28.“The second developmental flight of GSLV-Mk III D2 launch planned in Jan 2018 will have a lift off mass more than 640 ton. Improvisation in vehicle systems is targeted to achieve 500kg more payload than in the D1 launch. The liquid propellant L110 stage will operate at 6 per cent extra thrust throughout the flight duration in the upcoming D2 launch, compared to D1,” GSLV MK III Vehicle director J Jayaprakash told TOI.On the upcoming launches, he said “Before Jan 2018, we are targeting two more GSLVs and three more PSLV launches including the PSLV-C38 planned on June 28”.Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) director S Somnath told TOI that the GSV MKIII D1 launch with its human-rated benign features was equipped with a fully indigenous cryogenic engine of 20 ton thrust with 28 ton propellant loading. The cryogenic engine used in this launch has 2.5 times more thrust than the previous cryogenic engine with 12 ton thrust. In the second development flight of GSLV –MK III D2, the systems will be improvised further with higher thrust.GSLV mission director G Ayyappan had indicated that the GSLV-Mk III D1 flight placed a 3.2 ton satellite in orbit while the same vehicle with modular changes can carry satellites of six tons. He pointed out that it is the success of "Make in India’ space project with its fully indigenous launch with cryogenic technology and in terms of the material and design. It unique features include the dual redundancy, health monitoring, fault detection and isolation system, so the next flight will be improvised further, he said.