GSLV MkIII lifts India into a new orbit in satellite launches
- November 3, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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GSLV MkIII lifts India into a new orbit in satellite launches
Subject : Science
What is ISRO’s GSLV Mk III?
- India’s heaviest rocket launcher, GSLV MkIII, is the third-generation rocket from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- The project to develop it was approved in 2002, with a mandate of achieving the capability to launch a four-tonne class satellite into Geosynchronous orbit.
- Weighing 641 tonnes, which is equivalent to a large aircraft, GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) MkIII made its maiden launch on June 5, 2017, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
- The launcher is capable of lifting four-tonne class satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and about 10,000 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
- The heavy rocket costs around ₹400 crores.
Rocket’s configuration-
- GSLV MkIII is configured as a three-stage vehicle with two solid strap-on motors (S200); one liquid core stage (L110); and a high-thrust cryogenic upper stage (C25).
- The S200 solid motor is among the largest solid boosters in the world with 204 tonnes of solid propellant.
- The L110 stage uses a twin liquid engine configuration with 115 tonnes of liquid propellant, while the C25 is configured with the fully indigenous high-thrust cryogenic engine (CE20) with a propellant loading of 28 tonnes.
- The overall length of the vehicle is 43.5 m with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes and a 5m-diameter payload fairing.
- The powerful cryogenic stage enables it to place heavy payloads into LEO at 600 km altitude as was witnessed in the recent launch of 36 satellites of OneWeb.
Other launch vehicles of ISRO-
- India has two operational launchers — the workhorse and most reliable launcher Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and GSLV. The next variant of GSLV is GSLV MkIII.
Significance of GSLV-MKIII’s recent launches-
- The Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft launched on July 22, 2019, into its planned orbit with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 169.7 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 45,475 km, was a highly complex mission.
- It represented a significant technological leap compared to the previous missions of ISRO, comprising an Orbiter, Lander and Rover to explore the unexplored South Pole of the Moon.
- The recent successful launch of OneWeb satellites makes India a cost-effective destination to launch commercial satellites.
Next major target for GSLV Mk-III-
- GSLV MkIII is identified as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission, which aims at carrying three crew to LEO and bring them back safely to a predetermined location on Earth.
Where does India stand today in the satellite launch market?
- The ISRO, through its commercial arms, has earned around $279 million (as per July 2022 data) in foreign exchange by launching satellites for global clients.
- ISRO has been providing launch services for customer satellites since 1999 — more than 350 customer satellites from over 30 countries have been launched by PSLV.
- With the recent launch of OneWeb, GSLV has made a grand entry into the commercial launch
- service market for heavier satellites.
Commercial arms of ISRO-
- Antrix Corporation Limited is an Indian government-owned company under the administrative control of the Department of Space.
- It was incorporated in September 1992, as a commercial and marketing arm of ISRO by prompting, commercially delivering and marketing products and services emanating from ISRO.
- NewSpace India Limited (NeSL) is a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India and the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
- It was established on 6 March 2019 under the administrative control of the Department of Space and the Company Act 2013.
- IN-SPACe is an autonomous nodal agency, approved by the Union Government and will be governed by the Department of Space.
- This organisation shall act as a medium between ISRO and the private space sector in India.
- Under the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, the private parties will be allowed to perform space activities and use the equipment and facilities of the Department of Space (DoS) for the launch manifest.