India Launches Its Earth Observation Satellite In Mini-Rocket, Know What It Will Do In Space

Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched its Earth Observation Satellite-8 (EOS-8)—an earth imaging satellite—on a small rocket, weighing 120 tonnes, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The mini rocket— Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)— can carry satellites weighing about 500kg into space in a low Earth orbit. The SSLV also carried SR-0 Demo Sat, made by a Chennai-based start-up Space Rickshaw.

The weight of this small rocket is significantly lower than India’s heaviest rocket the Bahubali or the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mk 3), which weighs 640 tonnes.

According to reports, the SSLV was made at a total cost of over ₹ 170 crore in seven years. Analysts estimated, according to a NDTV report, that each SSLV rocket will cost about ₹ 30-35 crore per launch, making it one of the cheapest launchers in its class.

What’s unique about the launch?

The SSLV is carrying a unique instrument— the EOS8 satellite— that will measure UV light exposure to surfaces. This technology will be used on India’s first manned space mission Gaganyaan to gauze cancer-causing UV light exposure to the astronauts.

“It was a very successful mission…As on today, with the data available, the mission is almost a 100% success with the satellite being placed in the correct orbit and all separation process happening nominally. We are very happy about completion of the development programme of SSLV with this third development flight…Now, beyond this, the program is to manufacture and launch this rocket for commercial purpose,” said ISRO Chairperson, S Somanath.