Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) Feb 17 (UNI) From Naughty boy, GSLV has now become a matured and disciplined boy.
That’s the jubilant reaction of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists after the success of Saturday’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) mission.
The GSLV rocket was nicknamed Naughty Boy for its spotty performance in the past.
After a majestic lift off from the Second Launch Pad at 1735 hrs today evening, the 51.7 m tall three-stage heavy rocket GSLV-F14, with a lift off mass of 420 tonnes, successfully injected the
latest and advanced weather satellite 2,274 kg INSAT-3DS into the intended Gerosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), which the scientists described it as a perfect mission as it has boosted the confidence about GSLV for the future missions.
“GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS Mission accomplished. The vehicle has successfully placed the satellite, which hs a mission life of 10 years, into the intended geosynchronous transfer orbit”, ISRO said.
Thanks to the precise orbit achieved, the lifespan of the Satellite was now extended by three months.
After today’s stupendous success, the `Naughty boy’ came in for a lot of praise from the scientists, including ISRO Chairman S.Somanath.
Addressing the scientists at the Mission Control Centre after the successful launch, Mr Somanath, who is also the Secretary of Department of Space, said “the confidence on the GSLV rocket is now high”.
The vehicle performed very very well, he said.
The success of today’s Mission was all the more significant and important as the same GSLV will be used for the launch of NISAR Mission (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite) later this year.
“The next GSLV Mission will be the launch of Indo-US collaboration NISAR Mission”, Mr Somanath said.
GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS Mission Director Tomy Joseph said the naughty boy has matured and has now become a disciplined boy.
In its 16th flight, 10th with indigenoys cryo stage and the 7th operation flight with indigenous cryo stage, the GSLV vehicle, which had carried 50 kg more weight when compared to the earlier mission after the payload carrying was increased in stages over the years, injected the satellite precisely in the intended orbit.
The GSLV’s payload capacity has been increased from about 1,500 kg first to 2,274 kg now.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Director S.Unnikrishnan said the `naughty boy’ has now become smarty.
