Context:
Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C54 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Dimensions of the Article:
- What are the Satellites Launched?
- What are the launch vehicles used by ISRO?
What are the Satellites Launched?
Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B):
- India and Bhutan worked together to launch the INS-2B satellite, which has two payloads.
- NanoMx, a multispectral optical imaging payload developed by Space Applications Centre (SAC)
- APRS-Digipeater which is jointly developed by DITT-Bhutan and URSC was successfully deployed.
- The importance of INS-2B is that it will give Bhutan high-resolution photos for managing its natural resources.
- India’s attempts to support Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s intentions to utilise cutting-edge technology, particularly ICT and space technology, for the development of Bhutan include the launch of the new satellite.
- The partnership also adheres to India’s “neighbourhood first” philosophy.
EOS-6:
- The Oceansat series’ third-generation satellite, the Earth Observation Satellite-06 (EOS-06), is designed to monitor ocean colour information, sea surface temperature information, and wind vector information for use in oceanographic, climatic, and meteorological applications.
- Chlorophyll, Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wind speed, and land-based geophysical characteristics are used by the satellite to identify possible fishing zones.
Anand:
- The Anand three axis stabilized Nano satellite is a technology demonstrator for miniaturized electro-optical payload and all other sub-systems like TTC, power, onboard computer and ADCS from Pixxel, India was also placed in the orbit successfully.
Astrocast:
- Astrocast, a 3U spacecraft, is a technology demonstrator satellite for the Internet of Things (IoT) as the payload.
- There are 4 nos. of Astrocast Satellites in this mission.
- These spacecrafts are housed within an ISISpace QuadPack dispenser.
- The dispenser protects the satellite from contamination.
Thymbolt Satellites:
- The Thybolt is a 0.5U spacecraft bus that includes a communication payload to enable rapid technology demonstration and constellation development for multiple users from Dhruva Space using their own Orbital Deployer with a minimum lifetime of 1 year.
What are the launch vehicles used by ISRO?
| Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV): | Since its initial launch in 1994, PSLV has served as ISRO’s primary rocket. However, compared to those deployed in the 1990s, today’s PSLV is significantly more advanced and powerful. The PSLV is the most dependable rocket that ISRO has employed to date, with 52 of its 54 flights being successful. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be fitted with liquid stages. It successfully launched two spacecraft that later travelled to the Moon and Mars, namely Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013. There are numerous variations of the two launch vehicles that ISRO currently utilises, the PSLV and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle). |
| Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV): | The considerably more potent GSLV rocket is designed to lift heavier satellites farther into space. 18 missions have been completed by GSLV rockets to this point, four of them were unsuccessful. Lowering earth orbits may require satellites weighing 10,000 kg. The third stage of the GSLV Mk II is the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), and the Mk-III variants have rendered ISRO completely self-sufficient for launching its satellites. The European Arianne launch vehicle was previously utilised to carry its heavier satellites into orbit. |
| Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV): | SSLV is designed to provide affordable launch services for satellites up to 500 kg in response to the growing demand for small and micro-satellites around the world. It is intended to launch the indigenous EOS-03 earth observation satellite into orbit. |
-Source: The Hindu
