The Hindu : National : India set to launch GSLV in July second week

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Friday, Jun 30, 2006

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India set to launch GSLV in July second week

Chitra V. Ramani

The third stage of the rocket to use the cryogenic engine supplied by Russia

Sriharikota: India is all set to launch the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in the second week of July. The rocket will put the INSAT 4C, a 2,000-kg class communications satellite, into the geosynchronous transfer orbit.

The load capacity of the GSLV is 2,000 kg. The three-stage GSLV is a 49-metre tall rocket that weighs over 40 tonnes at lift-off.

The rocket will be the first GSLV flight to be launched from the second launch pad at Sriharikota, said M. Annamalai, Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, here on Thursday.

Boost to DTH

The INSAT 4C satellite will give a boost to direct-to-home television broadcast in the country. The 2-tonne satellite will be equipped with 12 high-powered Ku band transponders and will have a 10-year mission life, he said.

The GLSV has been assembled at the Vehicle Assembly Building of the second launch pad. "Three stages of assembly are complete. The fourth stage, which is the satellite insertion, will be completed by Thursday," said T. Subba Reddy, manager of the second launch pad.

The first stage has a solid propellant booster at the core and four liquid strap-ons. The second stage is powered by a liquid engine, while the third stage uses the cryogenic engine.

State-of-the-art complex

The second launch pad is a state-of-the-art complex that provides complete support for vehicle assembly, checkout, fuelling, launch operations, including telemetry, telecommand tracking, real time data acquisition and processing, and mission monitoring.

It is configured as a universal launch pad capable of accommodating all the launch vehicles of the ISRO, including the advanced launch vehicles that will be built in future.

It uses the unique integrate-transfer-launch (ITL) concept. The pad helps increase launch frequency by reducing the turn-around time for integration of the vehicles.

The complex includes a mobile launch pedestal, umbilical tower, jet deflector, lightning protection towers, propellant storage and servicing facilities, track for movement of the mobile launch pedestal and utilities such as instrumentation and control systems, compressed air and fire fighting system, overhead tank, water treatment plant, electrical sub-station, air conditioning plant and safety system.

Russian involvement

The Russians have been actively involved in helping India to prepare for the launch of the GSLV, which will use a Russian cryogenic stage.

Several engineers from Russia have been stationed at SHAR since May. As per the 1993-94 commercial agreement signed by the ISRO and Glavkosmos, the Russian engineers are here to help with the cryogenic stage. "The engine is part of the stage. However, the electronics and control part of the stage is Indian," said an official at centre.

Pressure from U.S.?

The Russians had earlier agreed to the transfer of technology of the cryogenic stage. However, owing to pressure from the United States, they later agreed to only supply the cryogenic stage but not transfer the technology.

"India has been facing problems for over a decade with regard to the development of cryogenic stage due to American sanctions and denial of transfer of technology by the Russians," he said.

However, the launch of two Russian satellites on Indian launch vehicles is on the anvil, he said.

Official sources also confirmed that the India's cryogenic technology will be fully functional from next year.

"After a decade-long period of problems, the indigenous cryogenic stage is ready.

It needs to be tested. But, we will use it for the next GSLV launch, which is scheduled for 2007," he said.

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