The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched the 175-kg earth observation satellite (EOS-08). It was carried by small satellite launch vehicle-3 (SSLV). The SSLV placed the EOS-08 and SR-0 satellites into the 475 km circular orbit. The launch was the third and the final developmental flight of SSLV-D3.
The SSLV-D3, ISRO’s smallest rocket, standing at 34 meters in height was launched on August 16 at 9:19 AM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
ISRO announced about the successful launch on social media platform X and said, “The third development flight of SSLV is successful. The SSLV-D3 placed EOS-08 precisely into the orbit.”
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The SSLV-D3-EOS-08 mission follows the February 2023 launch of SSLV-D2-EOS-07. The space agency launched three missions in 2024: PSLV-C58/XpoSat mission in January 2024, the GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS mission in February, the current SSLV-D3-EOS8 mission in August.
The purpose of this mission is to design and develop a microsatellite, and create payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus. Along with this, it will also incorporate new technologies that will aid future operational satellites.
S Somanath, ISRO’s chairperson said SSLV, will be now be used for launching ISRO’s operational vehicles. Additionally, the technology of the vehicle will be used for commercial flights by the private industry.
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The current mission will encourage the NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO, to take up commercial launches using such SSLV in collaboration with the industry, a report in the Economic Times stated.
“With this third flight of SSLV, we can declare that the development process is completed. We are in the process of transfer of technology to industries for serial production and launches of SSLV on a commercial basis. So, it is a great beginning for SSLV,” said the chairperson.
