CHENNAI, Sept 6:
With the Mission Readiness Review Committee and the Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) clearing the mission, the countdown for the launch of advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR by the homegrown GSLV-F05 would commence at 1110 hrs tomorrow at the SHAR Range in Sriharikota.
With a lift off mass of 415.2 tons, the 49.1m tall GSLV-F05, the tenth flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the first operational flight carrying the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), will lift off from the Second Launch Pad at 1610hrs on September eight.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sources said the Mission Readiness Review (MRR) committee and the Launch Authorization Board (LAB) have cleared the 29 hr countdown starting at 1110 hrs tomorrow.
After about 18 minutes of flight duration, the INSAT-3DR, with a mission life of 10 years, would be injected into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) with a perigee of 170 km and an apogee of 35,975 km with an inclination of 20.61 deg to the equator.
After reaching the GTO, INSAT-3DR would use its own propulsion system to reach its final geosynchronous orbital home and would be stationed at 74 deg East longitude.
INSAT-3DR will provide a variety of
meteorological services to the country.
The sources said this was for the fourth time GSLV would be carrying the indigenous CUS on-board.
GSLV-F05 flight was significant since it was the first operational flight of GSLV carrying the indigenous CUS.
The GSLV-F05 vehicle was configured with all its three stages, including the CUS, similar to the ones successfully flown during the previous GSLV-D5 and D6 missions in January 2014 and August 2015.
GSLV-D5 and D6 successfully placed GSAT-14 and GSAT-6 satellites respectively in the intended GTOs very accurately.
The INSAT-3DR was an advanced meteorological satellite configured with an imaging system and an atmospheric sounder.
The significant improvements incorporated in INSAT-3D compared to the earlier meteorological missions were part of INSAT-3DR also.
This included imaging in middle infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog, imaging in two thermal infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with better accuracy and higher spatial resolution in the visible and thermal infrared bands.
Like its predecessor, INSAT-3DR would carry a Data Relay Transponder (DRT) as well as a Search and Rescue Transponder (SRT).
”Hence INSAT-3DR will provide service continuity to earlier meterological missions of ISRO and further augment the capability to provide various meterological as well as search and rescue services.(UNI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel