ISRO's GSLV-F05/INSAT-3DR launch: All you need to know!

New Delhi:  The Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) on Thursday successfully launched its advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR using its GSLV-F05 from the spaceport of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

 

Around 17 minutes after lift-off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 4.50 p.m., the GSLV rocket slung the 2,211 kg satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), from where it would be guided to its final geostationary orbit.

The launch, which was originally planned for 4:10 p.m, was delayed by 40 minutes as the fuelling of the third stage of the rocket took longer than expected.

Here are some important things you should know about ISRO's GSLV-F05/INSAT-3DR mission:

• INSAT-3DR is an Indian weather satellite built by the ISRO and operated by the Indian National Satellite System.
• Configured with an imaging System and an Atmospheric Sounder, INSAT-3DR is an advanced meteorological satellite and is a follow-up to INSAT-3D.
• The satellite will provide meteorological services to India using a 6-channel imager and a 19-channel sounder, as well as search and rescue information and message relay for terrestrial data collection platforms.
• INSAT-3DR has a lift-off mass of 2211 kg, which includes about 1255 kg of propellant.
• GSLV-F05 is the tenth flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
• GSLV-F05 in its10th flight would launch the 2211 kg advanced satellite INSAT-3DRinto a Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
• GSLV-F05 is the flight in which the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) will be carried on-board for the fourth time during a GSLV flight.
• GSLV-F05 flight is significant since it is the first operational flight of GSLV carrying CUS, says ISRO.
• GSLV-F05 vehicle is configured with all its three stages including the CUS similar to the ones successfully flown during the previous GSLV-D5 and D6 missions in January 2014 and August 2015.
• The designed mission life of INSAT-3DR is 10 years.