HELSINKI \u2014 India successfully launched a new generation meteorological satellite early Saturday.<\/p>
The 51.7-meter-long, three-stage Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) lifted off at 7:05 a.m. Eastern Feb. 17 (1205 UTC; 5:35 p.m. local) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.<\/p>
The INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite separated from the launcher around 19 minutes later. The satellite entered geosynchronous transfer orbit and subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers will take the satellites to 74 degrees East in the geostationary belt, 35,786 kilometers above the equator.<\/p>
\u201cI’m very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the mission GSLV-F14\/INSAT-3DS,\u201d said S Somanath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in remarks after the launch. \u201cThe spacecraft has been injected into a very good orbit.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cLet me congratulate the teams who built the payloads, the satellite and also the launch vehicle for this acceleration this year,\u201d S Somanath added.<\/p>
Tomy Joseph, mission director, said that the GSLV rocket, dubbed \u201cNaughty Boy\u201d in reference to six of 15 of its previous launches ending in failure or partial failure, has now become \u201ca very obedient and disciplined boy.\u201d<\/p>
INSAT-3DS is the sixth in the INSAT series and had a mass at liftoff of 2,274 kilograms. INSAT-3DS carries four payloads: a six-channel multispectral imager, a 19 channel sounder payload, Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite Aided Search & Rescue transponder (SAS&R). The mission is funded by India\u2019s Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). The satellite is expected to operate until at least 2030.<\/p>
Mission objectives encompass monitoring Earth’s surface and oceans across meteorological spectral channels, providing vertical atmospheric profiles of meteorological parameters, collecting and disseminating data from Data Collection Platforms (DCPs), and offering Satellite Aided Search and Rescue services, according to ISRO.<\/p>
These goals aim to enhance understanding of environmental dynamics, improve weather forecasting, ensure efficient data usage, and support emergency response efforts through advanced satellite technology.<\/p>