SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (SSLV-D2)

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SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE  (SSLV-D2)

Mains General Studies: Paper- 3

(Science and Technology)

Why in News:

  • Recently ISRO successfully launched its smallest rocket SSLV-D2.
  • This rocket was launched on February 10, 2023 from Satish Dhawan Space Center Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Key points:

  • Three satellites were also sent into space with the SSLV-D2 rocket.

EOS-07

  • This satellite is built by ISRO to observe the Earth.
  • Its weight is 156.3 kg.

Azadi-SAT

  • The satellite is built by Chennai-based space startup SpaceKidz.
  • Its weight is 8.7 kg.
  • This satellite is made by 750 girl students of India.

Janus-1

  • This is a satellite of the American company Antaris.
  • Its weight is 10.2 kg.
  • All these three satellites were placed in circular orbit 450 km apart.
  • Last year also, ISRO tried to launch this rocket under the name of SSLV-D1, but it did not prove to be successful.

About SSLV-D2:

  • The rocket consists of three solid propulsion stages including a liquid propulsion based Velocity Terminal Module.
  • Its objective is to meet the launch on demand of commercial markets by small and micro satellites.
  • It is based on placing small satellites in the Earth's orbit.
  • The total weight of SSLV-D2 is about 120 tonnes.
  • According to ISRO, the cost of the SSLV rocket is around Rs 56 Crore.
  • Its length is 34 meters and width is 2 meters.

Characteristics:

  • According to ISRO, this rocket works on the technology of launch on demand.
  • It has the capability to cater to the launch of 500 kg satellites in low earth orbits.
  • Its cost is very less.
  • It has the capacity to accommodate more than one satellite.
  • Launching of satellites requires minimum infrastructure.
  • Its turn around time is very less, that is, it is able to complete the orbit in a very short time.

Significance:

  • The development of small satellites will get a boost.
  • Many employment opportunities will be created.
  • Government and non-government organizations in the country will get an opportunity to launch small satellites for their own use.
  • The demand for small satellites will increase in the coming years.
  • Opportunities for business and commercial activities will increase.
  • India's credibility will increase globally in the field of technology.

What is Rocket:

  • A rocket is a spacecraft that propels a vehicle or payload into the air. The rocket engine produces thrust i.e. a type of force to propel an object towards the sky.

How Rocket Works:

  • Like any other engine, fuel is combusted in a rocket. The rocket propels the fuel forward by pushing the gas out the back, converting the fuel into hot gas.
  • Rockets have oxidisers to ignite the fuel. These oxidizers are called propellants. These propellants are available in solid and liquid form.
  • Rockets move in space on the basis of 'Newton's third law of motion action-reaction'.

Rocket Type:

  • On the basis of the fuel used in the rocket engine, it is mainly classified into two parts:
  • Liquid Fuel Rocket: Liquid fuel is used in the engines of modern rockets. For example, the main engine of the Space Shuttle and the Russian Soyuz rocket.
  • Solid Fuel Rocket: Two white colored solid propellants are used in the sides of this spacecraft. Solid fueled rockets are used in fireworks.
  • Rockets based on ion and plasma are also used.

Rocket Launching:

  • Satellites are always launched from the equator at higher latitudes for ease of placing them in orbits.

Uses of Rocket:

  • For space flight.
  • Rockets are also used to convert parachute's hard landing into soft landing.
  • In the field of science and research.
  • For military activities.
  • In the field of sports and entertainment.

Important facts related to Rocket:

  • The first use of rocket in the world was done by China in the year 1200.
  • In the year 1969, with the help of Saturn V rocket, America had landed man on the moon for the first time.
  • India launched its first rocket on November 21, 1963. India had taken this rocket from America.
  • India launched its first indigenous rocket Rohini-75 on 20 November 1967.
  • The speed of the rocket is 7.8 km/s (ie 28,100 km/h) to go into the lower orbit of the earth.
  • The rocket is launched at a speed greater than the escape velocity 11.19 km/s (ie 40,284 km/h) to escape the Earth's gravity and go to another planet or moon.

Conclusion:

  • This rocket launched by India's ISRO has been the first successful test of the year 2023.
  • The following missions are planned to be launched by ISRO in the year 2023: Manned Space Mission 'Gaganyaan', OneWeb India-2, PSLV-C55, Reusable Launch Vehicle and NASA-ISRO SAR Mission (NISAR).

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Mains Exam Question:

Write about the features and importance of SSLV-D2 rocket launched by ISRO recently.