The success of SSLV-D2/EOS-07 mission comes after India’s smallest commercial rocket – which is 34-metre-tall and 2 metre in diameter — failed to inject satellites into the desired orbits during its maiden flight on August 7 last year.
Andhra Pradesh: #ISRO launches Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-SSLV-D2- from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Srihariko… https://t.co/j78I2Aeyr7
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) 1676001740000
SSLV-D2 lifted off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.18am. Around 13 minutes after lift-off, the three-stage rocket successfully placed EOS-07 in a circular orbit. Around 1.6 minute later, it placed Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 satellites in their orbits.
After the success of the mission, Isro chairman S Somanath said, “We have a new launch vehicle.”
According to Isro, the mission’s objectives are to demonstrate in-flight performance of SSLV vehicle systems and inject the three satellites into a 450km circular orbit.
SSLV-D2/EOS-07 Mission is accomplished successfully. SSLV-D2 placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into their intended orbits.
— ISRO (@isro) 1676001855000
EOS-07, weighing 156.3kg, has a mission life of one year. The EOS-07 mission objective was to design and develop payload instruments compatible with a micro satellite bus and new technologies that are required for future operational satellites and to design and develop a micro satellite accommodating new technology payloads in a quick turn-around time.
Janus-1 is a technology demonstrator smart satellite, based on US-firm Antaris software platform. AzaadiSAT-2 aims at demonstrating LoRa and amateur radio communication capabilities, measuring radiation levels in space and others. Around 750 girl students were guided to develop the payloads. The student team of Space Kidz India integrated these payloads.
SSLV is capable of launching mini-micro or nano satellites (10 to 500kg mass) into 500km planar orbits. SSLV is a three-stage vehicle with all solid propulsion stages and liquid propulsion-based velocity trimming module, as terminal stage. Design drivers of SSLV are low cost, low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch-on-demand feasibility and minimal launch infrastructure requirements.
Watch ISRO’s SSLV-D2: ‘We have a new launch vehicle’, 5 facts about the launch vehicle