ISRO’s Successful Launch of EOS-08 Earth Observation Satellite

On Friday, 16th August, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the EOS-08 Earth Observation Satellite using the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking a significant achievement in India’s space exploration efforts.

Successful Deployment of EOS-08 Satellite

The SSLV-D3, on its third and final development flight, lifted off at 9:17 am from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission was a complete success, with the EOS-08 satellite being precisely placed into a 475 km circular orbit just 17 minutes after lift-off. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath confirmed that the rocket’s performance was flawless, with no deviations from the planned injection conditions. He stated, “The third developmental flight of SSLV, the SSLV-D3 with the EOS-08 satellite, has been successfully accomplished. The rocket has placed the spacecraft in a very precise orbit as planned.”

This launch marks the completion of the SSLV development process. With this milestone, ISRO is set to transfer the SSLV technology to the private sector, enabling serial production and further launches. Mr. Somanath added that this success signifies the beginning of a new phase in SSLV’s journey.

Innovative Technology and Payloads Aboard EOS-08

The EOS-08 mission is notable for being built on ISRO’s standard Microsat/IMS-1 bus, equipped with a range of advanced payloads designed for innovative applications. The satellite includes an Electro-Optical Infrared (EOIR) payload, a Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) payload, and a SiC UV Dosimeter, among others.

The EOIR payload is designed to capture images in the Mid-Wave Infrared (MIR) and Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) bands, allowing for various critical applications such as satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, environmental observation, and fire detection. These capabilities extend to monitoring volcanic activities and industrial or power plant disasters.

The GNSS-R payload demonstrates the potential of remote sensing using GNSS-R to derive crucial data, such as ocean surface winds, soil moisture, and cryosphere conditions over the Himalayan region. It also has applications in flood detection and monitoring inland water bodies.

The SiC UV Dosimeter is tailored for the Gaganyaan Mission, India’s ambitious crewed spaceflight programme. It will monitor UV irradiance at the view port of the crew module and serve as a high-dose alarm sensor for UV radiation.

Future of SSLV and its Capabilities

The SSLV is designed to launch Mini, Micro, or Nanosatellites ranging from 10 to 500 kg into a 500 km planar orbit. It is a three-stage launch vehicle, featuring solid propulsion stages and a liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as its terminal stage. ISRO has emphasised that the SSLV’s design focuses on affordability, quick turnaround time, and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites. Additionally, it requires minimal launch infrastructure, making it ideal for launch-on-demand scenarios.

With the successful deployment of EOS-08, the SSLV-D3 mission concludes the development phase of SSLV, paving the way for its commercial use in the near future.