ISRO's maiden SSLV carrying earth observation and student satellite blasts off from Sriharikota

ISRO’s maiden small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV), carrying earth observation satellite EOS-02 and co-passenger students satellite AzaadiSAT lifted off from this spaceport on Sunday. The SSLV-D1/EOS-02 mission by the Indian space agency is aimed at garnering a larger pie in the small launch vehicles market, as ite can place the satellites into Low Earth Orbit.

The SSLV can put payloads (mini, micro or nanosatellites) weighing upto 500 kg into the 500 km planar orbit, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

At the end of a seven and a half hour countdown, the 34 metre long SSLV soared majestically at 9.18 am amid cloudy skies to place the satellites into the intended orbit.

The EOS-02 is an experimental optical remote sensing satellite with a high spatial resolution. Its is to realise and fly an experimental imaging satellite with a short-turnaround time and to demonstrate launch-on-demand capability. EOS-02 belongs to the microsatellite series of space crafts.

The AzaadiSAT is a 8U Cubesat weighing around 8kgs. It carries 75 different payloads each weighing around 50grams. Girl students from rural regions across the country were provided guidance to build these payloads.

The payloads are integrated by the student team of ‘Space Kidz India’. The ground system developed by ‘Space Kidz India’ will be utilised for receiving the data from this satellite, ISRO said.