Sriharikota: In a significant milestone for India’s space program, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the EOS-08 Earth Observation Satellite onboard the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 today, August 16. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.17 am IST.
The SSLV-D3, in its third and final developmental flight, successfully injected the EOS-08 satellite into a 475 km circular orbit as planned, 17 minutes after lift-off. ISRO Chairman S Somanath declared the development process of SSLV complete, marking a crucial step towards technology transfer to the industry for serial production and launch.
The EOS-08 satellite, a first-of-its-kind mission, carries advanced payloads for observation in the infrared range, GNSS-R payload, and SiC UV dosimeter. It also boasts several technological advancements like an integrated avionics system, structural panel embedded with PCB, and a flexible solar panel.
The satellite’s primary payloads include the Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR) for imaging in mid-wave and long-wave infrared bands, the Global Navigation Satellite System- Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R) for applications like ocean surface winds and soil moisture estimation, and the SiC UV Dosimeter for monitoring UV irradiance.
The successful launch of SSLV-D3 and EOS-08 is a major achievement for ISRO, demonstrating India’s growing capabilities in the small satellite launch segment. The SSLV’s design emphasizes low cost, rapid turnaround time, flexibility, and minimal launch infrastructure requirements, making it a promising platform for future space missions.
