- Tuesday, March 11, 2025
ISRO Chairman S Somanath said the rocket has placed the spacecraft in the very precise orbit and there are no deviations in the injection of satellites
By: Shajil Kumar
ISRO on Friday successfully launched an Earth observation satellite on board a small satellite launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The third developmental flight carrying Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-08) along with a passenger satellite SR-0 DEMOSAT was successfully placed into the intended orbit as planned.
“The third developmental flight SSLV-D3 with EOS-08 satellite has been successfully accomplished. The rocket has placed the spacecraft in the very precise orbit as planned and there are no deviations in the injection of satellites,” ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, addressing the gathering from the Mission Control Centre at this spaceport at Sriharikota.
He said the launch parameters of the satellite indicate that everything (mission launch) is perfect and the Earth Observation Satellite and the passenger satellite SR-O DEMOSAT have been injected after the manouveres.
“Congratulations now to the SSLV-D3 project team and with this the third developmental flight of SSLV has been completed,” he said.
“We are in the process of transferring SSLV technologies to industries and so it is a very good beginning for the SSLV and the launch vehicle,” he said.
The payload carried by the rocket has been designed and realised by the ISRO team, he said.
“It is 100 per cent successful and the satellite has been placed into its intended orbit,” Somanath told reporters later.
“As I am aware, solar panels (of the rocket) have already been deployed, further, we are looking for certain activities in the VTM stage and all that will be completed in due course of time. So congratulations once again for The entire team who worked behind the scene to develop this SSLV rocket and its culmination of developmental programme. Let us give a big round of applause to the entire (SSLV-D3) team,” he said.
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Mission Director S S Vinod said, “Today we have achieved a major milestone in the journey of SSLV. The last and final developmental flight of SSLV-D3 has been successfully accomplished and with that we are moving into the operational phase.”
He said the scientists have injected the EOS satellite and the passenger satellite into the precise orbit.
“The efforts put in by one and all has resulted in this achievement. Let me take this opportunity to thank the people who were behind this. Especially the management who had the confidence and trust in us to hand over the development of a new launch vehicle to a new team which was able to achieve the targeted launch of D1, D2 and D3 within a short timeframe. Especially, we thank the management led by our beloved Chairman S Somanath who has been part and parcel of this SSLV and also behind in realising the system,” he said.
Third mission
For the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency this is the third mission in 2024, after the successful PSLV-C58/XpoSat in January and GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS missions in February.
The primary objectives of the SSLV-D3-EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites, ISRO said.
With Friday’s mission, ISRO completes the developmental flight of the smallest rocket which can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg and can place them into Low Earth Orbit (up to 500 km above Earth).
The mission would also give a boost to NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO to take up commercial launches using such Small Satellite Launch Vehicles with the industry. (PTI)
