At 20:05 Beijing time on February 17, 2024 (17:35 New Delhi time on February 17), India used a GSLV-F14 launch vehicle to carry the INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite from the Sadish Dawan Space Center (SDSC-SHAR) Station 2 for nearly 19 minutes (11242 seconds) to put the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
The INSAT-3DS Large Meteorological Satellite is the sixth in the INSAT series, funded by India's Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES), with a launch mass of 2,274 kilograms, and is expected to operate until at least 2030. The satellite carries 4 payloads: a 6-channel multispectral imager, a 19-channel sounder, a data relay transponder (DRT) and a satellite aided search & rescue transponder (SAS&R).
The INSAT-3DS mission objectives include monitoring the Earth's surface and oceans through meteorological spectral channels, providing vertical atmospheric profiles of meteorological parameters, collecting and disseminating data from data collection platforms, and providing satellite-assisted search and rescue services. These goals aim to enhance the understanding of environmental dynamics, improve weather forecasting, ensure efficient use of data, and support search and rescue efforts through advanced satellite technologies.
After entering orbit, the INSAT-3DS satellite will rely on its own power to lift its orbit and finally enter the geostationary orbit of 74 degrees east longitude above the equator.
GSLV (GSLV-MKII) rocket is a medium-sized solid-liquid hybrid launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), using ** semi-configuration, the core first stage and core second stage use UH25 N2O4 (a mixture of metadimethylhydrazine and hydrazine hydrate nitrogen tetroxide), the core ** uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant, and the booster uses HTPB (terminal hydroxyl polybutadiene) solid propellant. The arrow is 51 years long7 meters, the maximum diameter of the core stage is 28 meters, equipped with a diameter of 4 meters and a height of 7The 8-meter fairing has a take-off mass of 420 tons, a take-off thrust of about 805 tons (7887 kN), a low-earth orbit capacity of 5 tons, and a geosynchronous transfer orbit capacity of 25 tons. GSLV-F14 is the 14th launch of the GSLV-MKII rocket in total.
In 2024, India plans to carry out 12 to 14 space launches into orbit, an increase of at least 71% compared to seven in 2023. This launch is the first launch of a GSLV rocket in 2024, the second launch of the Sadish Dawan Space Center, the second launch of India, and the 33rd launch in the world.
Author: Mulan Xingzhou.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program