The PSLV-C58 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota and successfully placed the advanced astronomy observatory XPoSAT’ satellite in orbit.(Image source:Youtube))The PSLV-C58 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota and successfully placed the advanced astronomy observatory XPoSAT’ satellite in orbit.(Image source:Youtube))
TIRUPATI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the final developmental flight of its low-cost “Small Satellite Launch Vehicle” (SSLV) on India’s Independence Day, August 15. The launch, scheduled for 9.27 am from the Sriharikota spaceport, will mark the completion of the SSLV Development Project and pave the way for future missions by Indian industry and the commercial arm New Space India Limited.
Designed to cater to the fast-growing market for launching 500 kg satellites to low-Earth orbit, the three-stage SSLV promises affordable and rapid access to space and is poised to benefit India’s burgeoning space ecosystem. Measuring 34 meters tall and with a lift-off mass of 120 tonnes, the SSLV promises low-cost access to space with its rapid turnaround time and launch-on-demand capabilities.
While the first SSLV mission in August 2022 was unsuccessful, the second flight in February last year achieved its objectives, setting the stage for this final developmental launch. This time, riding on the SSLV-D3 will be ISRO’s earth observation satellite, EOS-08, with the primary objectives of designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites.
Built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, EOS-08 weighs approximately 175.5 kg and carries three advanced payloads: Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), a Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R) and a SiC UV Dosimeter. The EOIR payload will capture high-resolution images in the mid-wave and long-wave infrared bands, both day and night, for applications such as satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring and industrial monitoring.
The GNSS-R will demonstrate the capability of using GNSS-R-based remote sensing for applications like ocean surface wind analysis, soil moisture assessment and flood detection. Notably, the SiC UV Dosimeter on EOS-08 will monitor UV irradiance at the viewport of the Crew Module in the Gaganyaan Mission, serving as a high-dose alarm sensor for gamma radiation.
EOS-08 represents a significant advancement in satellite mainframe systems, featuring an Integrated Avionics system that combines multiple functions into a single, efficient unit. This system, known as the Communication, Baseband, Storage, and Positioning (CBSP) Package, is designed with cold redundant systems using commercial off-the-shelf components and can support up to 400 GB of data storage.
The satellite also incorporates various innovative technologies, such as a miniaturised antenna pointing mechanism, a flexible solar panel for improved power generation, and a pyrolytic graphite sheet diffuser plate for enhanced thermal management. Additionally, the mission adopts new methods of integrating housekeeping panels and features advanced data transmission, battery management and thermal control systems.
