ISRO is poised to reach a significant milestone with a Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle mission slated for January, which will mark the 100th launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, according to a key official. The previous mission, the PSLV-C60, took place on Monday and successfully deployed two spacecraft to conduct the Space Docking Experiment in a circular orbit, as noted by ISRO Chairman S. Somanath.
He remarked, "So, all of you have seen the majestic lift-off and the launch of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) rocket, and for us, this is the 99th launch of any vehicle from Satish Dhawan Space Centre so, that is also a very important number. So, we are going for the 100th launch at the beginning of the next year."
Somanath, who also serves as Secretary of the Department of Space, spoke with reporters after the PSLV-C60 mission successfully placed the Space Docking Experiment spacecraft A and B into orbit. Looking ahead, he mentioned that "In 2025, we will have many missions to start with the GSLV launching the (navigation satellite) NVS-02 in the month of January.
Earlier this year, in May, ISRO successfully launched NVS-01 onboard the GSLV-F12 rocket, which deployed the navigation satellite weighing approximately 2,232 kg into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). NVS-01 is the first of the second-generation satellites designed for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) services.
Regarding Monday's PSLV-C60 mission, Somanath expressed optimism about future Space Docking Experiments, stating, "It is really an important mission with (India's) space sector reforms and expansion of space activities. There will be many more SpaDeX varieties including complex missions of docking systems in the coming days."
In discussing the rescheduling of the PSLV-C60 launch, which was postponed from its original time of 9:58 PM to 10 PM on December 30, Somanath explained the importance of conjunction studies. He noted, "If you find there is any close proximity (between satellites), then we have to move the current satellite a little bit. Either, we delay it (the launch) or make it early, so that this proximity condition does not occur."
He emphasized that scientists take the necessary time to determine the optimal lift-off time, ensuring maximum separation from other satellites in the same orbit.
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Inputs from PTI
