Chennai: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday began the countdown for one of their most critical launches scheduled for Wednesday.
The countdown began at 2.50 pm on Tuesday with the launch expected to be at eight minutes past 5 pm on Wednesday evening.
Interestingly, the scientists are bracing ahead for this launch in the backdrop of Cyclone Gaja, which had threatened earlier to hover around Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
Wednesday’s launch will see the second developmental flight of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III-D2) place India’s high throughput communication satellite GSAT-29 into its orbit.
This will be the ISRO’s fifth launch of the year, 67th launch vehicle mission from SDSC and 33rd communication satellite from the premier space agency.
Two boosters with solid propellant form the first stage of GSLV Mk III, while the core carrying liquid propellant is the second stage and cryogenic engine, the final one.
Payloads operating in Ku-band, Ka-band, Q/V-band and a geo high-resolution camera with data transmission to ground using optical communication system are onboard the satellite. GSAT-29 has a mission life of 10 years and weighs 3423 kg.
ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan said GSAT-29 will serve the needs of users in Jammu and Kashmir and North-East regions.
“We are testing several new technologies during this mission. Post this successful mission, we will be declaring GSLV Mk-111 as an operational rocket,” Dr Sivan said.
The first operational mission of GSLV Mk-III will be in January 2019 when ISRO launches Chandrayaan-II mission comprising of a desi orbiter, lander (Vikram) and a rover.
Hundreds of youngsters across various ISRO centres have been working for the GSLV MkIII-D2/GSAT-29 mission for the last one year.
ISRO has slated a couple of more launches lined up this year with the next one set to carry foreign commercial satellites along with a desi remote sensing satellite.
