At 9:18 am, the SSLV-D2 embarked on its journey from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre’s primary launch pad with the aim of placing three satellites into a 450 km circular orbit over the course of its 15-minute flight.
New Delhi: Today, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) new rocket, SSLV-D2, achieved success by placing three satellites into the designated orbit shortly after its launch from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
At 9:18 am, the SSLV-D2 took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre’s first launch pad, carrying three mini, micro, and nano satellites. During its 15-minute flight, the rocket successfully placed the satellites into a 450 km circular orbit around the Earth.
SSLV D2 Official Launch
The ISRO officially declared the successful launch through a tweet from its official handle, stating, “Mission Accomplished Successfully. SSLV-D2 placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into their intended orbits.”
The SSLV-D2 successfully deployed three satellites into orbit: EOS-07 from ISRO, Janus-1 from the US-based company Antaris, and AzaadiSAT-2 from the Chennai-based space start-up SpaceKidz. The latter, weighing 8.7 kg, was developed by 750 girl students from throughout India.
Goal Of SSLV Launch
The new SSLV D2 rocket was created with the goal of tapping into the growing small and microsatellite commercial market.
The SSLV D2 launch marked the second developmental flight for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The first test flight of the SSLV on August 9 was only partially successful, as the rocket was unable to place its satellite payload into its intended orbit.
The SSLV is designed to launch up to 500 kg satellites into low earth orbits on a “launch-on-demand” basis, offering low-cost access to space, quick turnaround times, the ability to accommodate multiple satellites, and the requirement of minimal launch infrastructure.
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