ISRO: Countdown for launch of EOS-03 satellite starts

Background

Union minister of state (MoS), Jitendra Singh, recently confirmed in Lok Sabha that the Earth Observation Satellite-03 is scheduled to be launched on August 12.

About GSLV-F10 EOS-03 mission

• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10 (GSLV-F10) will launch Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) on August 12 from second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
• EOS-03 is a state-of-the-art agile Earth observation satellite. It will be placed in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by GSLV-F10.
• Satellite will reach to the geostationary orbit using its onboard propulsion system.
• Satellite will also carry a 4-metre diameter Ogive-shaped payload for the first time in this GSLV flight.
• This will be the fourteenth flight of GSLV.

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

GSLV is an expendable launch system of ISRO. It has been used in thirteen launches from 2001 to 2018. GSLV is completely different than GSLV Mark III even though they share the name. GSLV project was first launched in 1990 with the objective of acquiring capability of Indian launch for geosynchronous satellites.

Is GSLV similar to PSLV?

GSLV uses major components of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launch vehicles. It uses solid rocket booster S125/S139 and liquid-fuelled Vikas engine. Third stage is powered by a LOX/LH2 Cryogenic engine due to the thrust required to inject the satellite in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

First development flight of GSLV

First development flight of GSLV (Mk I configuration) was launched in 2001. But its payload failed to reach the intended orbit parameters. This launcher was declared operational following the success of second development flight of GSAT-2 satellite.