The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the third and final developmental flight of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), marking a major milestone for India's space ambitions. The SSLV-D3 mission, carrying the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-08) and the passenger satellite SR-0 DEMOSAT, precisely placed both satellites into their intended orbits.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath confirmed the mission's success, stating, "The third developmental flight of LV-D3 with the 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." He further confirmed that all mission parameters were perfect and the satellites were successfully injected into orbit.
Mission Director S. S. Vinod said, "Today we have achieved a major milestone in the journey of LV. The last and final developmental flight of LV-D3 has been successfully accomplished and with that, we are moving into the operational phase."
Vinod expressed his appreciation for the team and ISRO's leadership, stating, "The efforts put in by everyone have resulted in this achievement. Let me take this opportunity to thank the people who were behind this, especially the management led by our beloved Chairman S. Somanath, who has been part and parcel of this LV and instrumental in realizing the system."
Mission Objectives
This third and final developmental flight aims to validate the SSLV's capabilities and pave the way for commercial launches by the Indian industry and NewSpace India Ltd. The mission will deploy two satellites:
EOS-08: A 175.5 kg microsatellite developed by ISRO with a life expectancy of one year.
SR-0: The first satellite from Chennai-based startup Space Rickshaw.
SSLV Capabilities
The SSLV is designed to launch mini, micro, or nano satellites (10 to 500 kg mass) into a 500 km planar orbit. It features three solid-fuel stages and a liquid-fueled Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) for precise orbital insertion.
Payload Highlights
EOS-08: Carries three payloads for earth observation, navigation, and space environment monitoring. These include:
Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR): For day and night imaging in various applications like disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring, and fire detection.
Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R): For remote sensing applications like ocean wind analysis, soil moisture assessment, and flood detection.
SiC UV Dosimeter: To monitor UV and gamma radiation, with applications in the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
SR-0: Details about the specific mission objectives of this satellite from Space Rickshaw are not yet available.
Technological Advancements
The EOS-08 incorporates advanced satellite technologies, including:
Integrated Avionics System: Combining communication, baseband, storage, and positioning functions into a single unit.
Miniaturised Antenna Pointing Mechanisms: For precise pointing accuracy.