The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO,) of Sriharikota in the next month, May, is all set to launch its first developmental flight of a ‘game-changer’ rocket. A.S. Kiran Kumar, the Chairman of ISRO said, this rocket will be able to launch four ton class of satellites from the spaceport.
The present capacity of rockets is 2.2 tons and depends on international launchers to orbit satellites which are heavier than 2.2 tons. Speaking to a news agency Kiran Kumar said, “next month, we have scheduled the launch of GSLV-Mk III-D1.” He added they plan to launch the second developmental flight within a year and added, “By the time two developmental flights are over, we will be working towards making more launches so that it (GSLV-Mk III) becomes operational.”
The organization views the operation of this rocket as a ‘game-changer.’ Kumar said, “Once we build our own four-ton capacity, we will be able to significantly reduce our launch from outside; then we are also looking at building satellites within that four-tonne capacity so that you can do all the launches within the country.”
This rocket will carry a GSAT-19 satellite which weighs almost 3200 kg. It will also carry a Geostationary Radiation Spectrometer (GRASP) and the Ka and Ku-band payload which will study the changed particles on earth and study space radiation and its effects of spacecraft and its components.
