Nicknamed ‘Naughty Boy’ Owing To Spotty Record In The Past.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Saturday launched its weather satellite INSAT-3DS board spacecraft Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) F14, that has been fondly nicknamed the ‘naughty boy’ for its fluctuating record.
The GSLV-F14 rocket blasted away at 5.35 pm today from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, informed the space agency, which began a countdown for the launch on Thursday. For the rocket, it is the 16th mission overall and its 10th flight using the India-made cryogenic engine.
In its 16th flight, the GSLV aims to deploy INSAT-3DS that is a meteorological and disaster warning satellite. The mission is wholly funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), informed the space agency said in a statement.
The mission’s success remains crucial for the GSLV that is also scheduled to carry later this year the Earth observation satellite, NISAR. NISAR is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory that is being jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.
According to a report by the Indian Express, at least four of the previous 15 launches using the GSLV so far have been unsuccessful. By comparison, the success rate of PSLV and LVM-3 have been fabulous. Only three of the 60 missions so far by ISRO’s workhorse PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), and none of the seven by its successor LVM-3, have failed.
The GSLV is a three-stage rocket that is 51.7 metres long and has a liftoff mass of 420 tonnes. There are plans by ISRO to retire it after a few more launches.
Satellite Will Send Back Important Weather Information.
As per ISRO’s official statement, the weather satellite is important for the nation. Data received from it will help boost India’s weather and climate monitoring services. Named INSAT-3DS, it is a third-generation upgraded, dedicated meteorological satellite. It weighs 2,274 kg and has been built at a cost of about ₹480 crore. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Bengali