The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to conduct the maiden flight of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV Mk III) rocket by the first week of next month.
The mission will incorporate a bigger cryogenic engine to power the 640t rocket for the first time.
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ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre director K Sivan was quoted by IANS as saying: “Our 12 years of labour is expected to bear fruit this June.
“All the officials are confident of the proposed mission's success. The strap-on motors and the core stage/engine have been integrated.
“As this is a new rocket, we want to carry out extensive tests and hence there has been a slight change in the launch schedule.”
The multi-beam GSAT 19 satellite to be lifted off as part of the upcoming mission weighs around 3.2t.
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By GlobalDataBeing the heaviest satellite to be lifted by an Indian rocket, the satellite has already arrived at the launch pad of Sriharikota, India. The satellite is currently undergoing integration process ahead of its launch, reported PTI.
In 2014, ISRO launched a similar rocket without the cryogenic engine.
Carrying a 3.7t payload, the mission has helped ISRO reduce the load on the rocket by nearly 20%.
ISRO has so far developed two launch vehicles, namely Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and GSLV-Mk II.
