ISRO Looking To Launch INSAT-3DR Weather Satellite On August 28
ISRO is working round the clock and the arrangements are in full swing for the takeoff of its weather satellite INSAT-3DR on the 28th of August, 2016. The satellite with geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV-MkII) will launch from Sriharikota base in Andhra Pradesh, officials confirmed.
Indian space agency chief AS Kiran Kumar declared that India will be introducing INSAT-3DR, a weather satellite next month with its heavy rocket. He also said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is aiming to increase the number of its satellite and rocket inaugurations from the current six-eight per year to 12-18 per year.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director K Sivan said that ISRO will also be launching ScatSat –forecasting satellite and a weather monitoring – with polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV).
“Both the satellites will be put into different orbits. So the fourth stage/engine of the rocket will be switched off after ejecting ScatSat first. Then after a gap of around 30 minutes, the engine will be switched on and put the Algerian satellite into its intended orbit,” Sivan said.
Talking to IANS, P. Kunhi Krishnan, the director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) said, "The weather satellite INSAT-3DR will be put into orbit by a GSLV rocket August end. Preparations for the launch are going on." The satellite, which generally reaches the rocket port a couple of weeks before the launch date, is yet to reach Sriharikota, it is said.
"With improved shock absorbing aspects during the transit, nowadays Indian satellites are first sent to the filling of fuel and then to the clean room. We have avoided one testing stage of the satellite and thereby cutting down the launch time," a senior ISRO official told IANS. "However, foreign satellites that ISRO launches with its PSLV rockets will be tested in full without skipping even the first clean room," he added.