ISRO to launch Earth-observing satellite on SSLV rocket on Friday

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday announced that it will launch an Earth-observing satellite (EOS-08) on the new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket -- its third-ever mission -- tomorrow.

EOS-08 satellite will be launched atop the SSLV from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

“The launch of the third developmental flight of SSLV is scheduled for August 16, 2024, in a launch window of one hour starting at 09:17 Hrs. IST,” ISRO said in a post on X.com.

The satellite will deliver Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), and SiC UV Dosimeter to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

“Designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites” are the primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission, the space agency said.

The SSLV, on its third flight, aims to deploy EOS-08 into a circular orbit with an altitude of 475 km, ISRO said.

SSLV is a compact three-stage launch vehicle that can be assembled in just 72 hours. It is capable of launching mini, micro or nanosatellites (10 to 500 kg mass) into 500km planar orbit.

“The design drivers of SSLV are low cost, low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch on-demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc,” said ISRO.

While its debut, in August 2022, failed, it bounced back on its second flight in February 2023.

In 2022, SSLV deployed its two payloads -- the EOS-02 and a tiny cubesat -- into the wrong orbit, which soon fell back to Earth.

However, in February 2023, the rocket successfully deployed its three payloads -- EOS-07 and two CubeSats -- into their designated 450-kilometer circular orbits.