ISRO prepares GSLV Rocket for OneWeb Satellite Launch
New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (GSLV MkIII) for launching 36 satellites of OneWeb in the month of October 2022.
According to ISRO, two solid fuel fired booster motors are strapped on the liquid fuel powered second stage at the second launch pad at the rocket port in Sriharikota.
The 36 satellites have undergone successful health checks and have been integrated with the dispenser unit.
“After this, the cryogenic stage will be stacked on the second stage and the integration of heat shield or payload fairing with the 36 satellites will happen,” ISRO said.
The NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) has signed two contracts with the Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) for launching OneWeb’s broadband communication satellites in a lower earth orbit.
A joint venture between India Bharti Global and the UK government, OneWeb plans to possess a constellation of 650 satellites in low earth orbit to offer communication services.
“One additional launch will take place this year and three more are targeted for early next year to complete the constellation,” the satellite company said.
The rocket was designed to carry four tonne heavy satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and about 10 tons to (Low Earth Orbit) LEO.
With this launch, OneWeb will have more than 70 per cent of its planned Gen 1 Low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation in orbit as it progresses to deliver high-speed and low-latency connectivity services around the world.
Meanwhile, the GSLV MkIII is a three-stage rocket with the first stage fired by solid fuel, the second by liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine.
The proposed mission will be the first commercial launch of GSLV MkIII, the first time an Indian rocket will be ferrying a payload of about six tonnes, and the first time OneWeb is using an Indian rocket to put its satellites into orbit
(Avya Mathur)
