ISRO planning to launch second development SSLV flight in February: S Somnath

 

• ISRO is planning scientific missions to Mars and Venus and Chandrayaan-3 mission is also planned for this year

After a failed attempt in August last year, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is planning a second development flight of a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) next month. Space agency officials also announced that during the development flight, India will also test a space-based aircraft surveillance system.

In August 2022, ISRO attempted to launch a flight development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), which can launch satellites up to 500 kg into a plane orbit, but the attempt was unsuccessful. If the second attempt is successful next month, the space agency will launch on-demand smaller satellites in the range of 10 kg to 500 kg.

ISRO Chairman S Somnath told reporters on the sidelines of the 108th Indian Science Congress here, "I can't tell you an exact date, but we are planning a test flight next month."

The senior ISRO official said that on SSLV, the space agency is also planning to test the satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver system.

“The ADS-B receiver receives all the details of an aircraft. Currently, air traffic controllers receive these signals. But there are some blind spots – about 30 percent of airspace worldwide – that ATC doesn't have access to. Now, we have developed a space-based ADS-B technology," DK Singh, Deputy Director, Advanced Technology Sector, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad told news agency PTI.

The head of the space agency also talked about the outline of the upcoming projects. ISRO is planning scientific missions to Mars and Venus and Chandrayaan-3 mission is also planned for this year.

He said, "Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is almost ready. Orbiter, lander and rover. But we are waiting for the right time to launch the mission, which is in June. We will try to meet that launch window." "

The space agency is planning to launch GSAT-20 high throughput satellite next year to facilitate in-flight connectivity for automobile services using Ka-band.