Commenting on the launch, ISRO sources revealed that the launch carries an advanced weather satellite that would provide a variety of meteorological services to the country.
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Thursday’s mission, the 10th flight of GSLV, assumes significance for the Indian Space Research Organisation as it is the first operational flight of the rocket fitted with the indigenous cryogenic upper stage.
The satellite launch vehicle will also launch India’s second mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-2, which is expected to be in 2017.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday applauded the ISRO scientists for the launch of advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR onboard GSLV-F05, terming it as an exemplary achievement which made India proud.
Cryogenic engines use liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidizer to burn the fuel.
After a 40-minute delay caused by a last-minute technical glitch, the GSLV delivered – a weather satellite that weighed over 2,200 kilos had been put into orbit.
ISRO is perfecting the crucial cryogenic engine technology to save precious foreign exchange by launching heavier satellites on its own.
Isro had planned to develop a cryogenic engine for use in its rockets as far back as in 1986. ISRO will launch the satellite using its tenth Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicles on Sept 08, 2016 at 16:10 hrs (Indian Standard Time) from Sriharikota.
While the USA has already used scramjet engines, China and Russian Federation are also developing the technology. Then, after a gap of around 30 minutes, the engine will be restarted to put the Algerian satellite into its intended orbit.
The INSAT-3DR also belongs to the group of meteorological satellites operated by the ISRO. It is also equipped with an atmospheric sounder, as well as a special search-and-rescue transponder to help in satellite-aided relief operations.
In the following days, after completing necessary manoeuvring of INSAT-3DR, the satellite will be placed its designated orbital position of 74° east longitude and eventually enter service.
The GSLV is programmed to place Insat 3DR into a geostationary transfer orbit with a low point of 105 miles (170 kilometers), a high point of around 22,353 miles (35,975 kilometers), and an inclination of 20.6 degrees.
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INSAT-3DR is replacement satellite for previous INSAT spacecraft; launched on July 25 2013 on atop Ariane 5 ECA, Insat-3D, suffered for anomaly during deploying one of its solar panels.
