THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Nellore, August 16: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the SSLV-D3 rocket today at 9:17 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Along with this, a new Earth observation satellite, EOS-8, was also launched.
The SSLV-D3-EOS-08 rocket also carried a small satellite called SR-0 DEMOSAT. This satellite will monitor the Earth, equipped with three payloads. These satellites will orbit in a circular path at an altitude of 475 kilometres from the Earth. The satellite will provide alerts before any disaster occurs.
What is SSLV-D3 rocket?
SSLV stands for Small Satellite Launch Vehicle. The “D3” refers to the third demonstration flight. This rocket is used for launching mini, micro, and nano satellites. The SSLV rocket is 34 meters long with a diameter of 2 meters, and it weighs 120 tons. The SSLV can carry payloads ranging from 10 to 500 kilograms to an altitude of up to 500 kilometers. The SSLV can be made ready in just 72 hours. It is launched from Launch Pad 1 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
EOS-8 rocket will orbit in low orbit above Earth
Along with the SSLV-D3, the Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-8, has also been launched. This satellite will orbit in a low Earth orbit. EOS-8 will be used for environmental monitoring, disaster management, and technical demonstrations. It carries important advanced technologies and weighs 175.5 kilograms.
The satellite is equipped with three state-of-the-art payloads: the Electro-Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), the Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry Payload (GNSS-R), and the SiC UV Dosimeter. The EOIR will capture detailed images of the Earth around the clock.
The GNSS-R is designed to analyze Earth’s features such as oceans, mountains, ice cover, and forests. The SiC UV Dosimeter is designed to measure ultraviolet radiation in space.
SSLV becomes operational rocket
With the launch of SSLV-D3, the SSLV has now been designated as an operational rocket. SSLV-D3 was the third and final rocket of the SSLV series to be launched. Prior to this, two SSLV rockets had been launched into space. The SSLV-D1 was launched on August 7, 2022, while the SSLV-D2 was launched on February 10, 2023. Along with SSLV-D2, three satellites—EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2—were sent into space.
