Why is the GSLV rocket nicknamed ‘naughty boy’?

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Space tech

Context:

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s meteorological satellite, INSAT-3DS, was successfully placed into its intended orbit by Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle F14 (GSLV-F14) on Saturday.

More on news:

The mission was crucial for the GSLV rocket nicknamed ‘naughty boy’ due to its inconsistent record.

About INSAT-3DS:

The INSAT-3DS satellite is a follow-on mission of the third generation meteorological satellite from geostationary orbit.
The satellite is an exclusive mission designed for enhanced meteorological observations, monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting, and disaster warning.
The INSAT-3DS satellite will augment meteorological services along with the presently operational INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR in-orbit satellites.
The primary objectives of the mission are to
- monitor Earth’s surface,
- carry out oceanic observations and its environment in various spectral channels of meteorological importance,
- provide the vertical profile of various meteorological parameters of the atmosphere,
- provide data collection and dissemination capabilities from data collection platforms, and
- provide satellite-aided search and rescue services.

‘Disciplined boy’

The GSLV or geosynchronous launch vehicle was termed the “naughty boy” of Indian space due to its repeated failures in the past.
Following this successful launch, GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS Mission Director Tommy Joseph said that the GSLV had become a “disciplined boy”.

Boost to NASA-ISRO mission

The success of the GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS mission is a big boost for ISRO ahead of the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, which is scheduled in the coming months.
The NISAR will be launched by the GSLV Mark-II launch vehicle.
“With this mission, our confidence in the GSLV is further high and the next mission of the GSLV is the NISAR satellite.”
The GSLV-F14 carrying INSAT-3D meteorological satellite was successfully launched on February 17 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The INSAT-3DS satellite is a follow-on mission of the third generation meteorological satellite from geostationary orbit.
The satellite is an exclusive mission designed for enhanced meteorological observations, monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting, and disaster warning.

Why is the GSLV rocket called ‘naughty boy’?

The GSLV gained the nickname naughty boy as at least four out of 15 previous launches with the rocket have been unsuccessful.
Only three of the 60 missions so far by ISRO’s workhorse PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle).
None of the seven missions by its successor LVM-3, have failed.

Problems with the GSLV?

It has to do with the cryogenic stage of the rocket.
Unlike its predecessors, GSLV uses cryogenic engines — they consist of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen — that provide far greater thrust than the engines used in the older launch vehicles.

Failure of the GSLV-F10.

About five minutes into the launch, the flight of the rocket which was carrying an earth observation satellite EOS-03, deviated from its scheduled trajectory.
The first and second stages of the GSLV functioned normally and detached.
But the upper stage, powered by a cryogenic engine fuelled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen at very low temperatures, failed to ignite.
The rocket lost the power to carry on and its remains, along with that of the satellite, most likely fell off somewhere in the Andaman Sea.
A similar issue had led to the failure of GSLV-D3 as well in April 2010 which was the first flight of GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic engine modeled on the Russian design.
The cryogenic stage had failed to ignite on that occasion as well.
Eight months later, the next GSLV flight, this time being powered by a Russian cryogenic engine, also failed.