ISRO’s new chairman Dr S Somnath recently indicated that India’s indigenous new launch rockets, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), will have its maiden development flight in April 2022.
The SSLV-D1 Micro SAT will be launched in April 2022. The launch of the maiden flight of the SSLV was scheduled for July 2019 but has been delayed due to Covid 19 pandemic and other issues.
What is Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)?
- The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is intended to cater to a market for the launch of small satellites into low earth orbits
- The SSLV can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit while the tried and tested PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg.
- The SSLV is the smallest vehicle at 110-ton mass at ISRO. It will take only 72 hours to integrate, unlike the 70 days taken now for a launch vehicle.
- Only 6 people will be required to launch, instead of 60 people. The entire process will be done in a very short time and the cost will be only around Rs 30 crore.
- The SSLV can cater the need for developing countries, private corporations, and universities for small satellites. Till now, such small satellites have been launched with big satellite by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has had over 50 successful launches so far.
(Source: IE)
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