ISRO successfully launches GSLV F15,its 100th mission from Sriharikota
Space
5 min read
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone by successfully launching its 100th mission from its Spaceport -Satish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota (SHAR), Andhra Pradesh on 29 January 2025. The GSLV-F-15 rocket carrying the NVS-02 satellite was launched from the second launch pad of the SHAR.
In 1971 the first rocket- a sounding rocket RH -125 was launched from Sriharikota.
Recently the government of India has approved the construction of a 3rd launchpad in the SHAR to enable ISRO to launch heavier rockets to meet the ambitious target of the Indian Space programme during the Amrit Kaal.
GSLV-F-15 launch from Sriharikota
The launch of the GSLV-F-15 from Sriharikota was the 17th launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) of ISRO. It was the 8th operational launch of GSLV with an indigenously developed cryogenic stage.
The GSLV is a 51.7 m long, three-stage rocket.
The first stage of the rocket comprises a solid propellant augmented by four liquid propellant straps.
The second stage consists of a solid Vikas engine developed indigenously.
The third stage is a cryogenic stage which uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as fuel. Initially, Russian cryogenic engines were used in the third stage and it was replaced by an indigenously developed cryogenic engine in 2014. Since then the indigenous cryogenic engine has been used in the GSLV rockets.
The GSLV rockets have been used by ISRO to launch communications, navigation, and earth observation satellites in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits.
About the NVS-02 satellite
The NVS-02 satellite launched by the GSLV-F-15 rocket was the second satellite in the second-generation series of satellites for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system.
Five second-generation satellites will be launched by ISRO. The first satellite of the second-generation NaviC, NVS-01, was launched in May 2023 with an Indigenous atomic clock
The second-generation satellite will augment the first-generation NaviC satellites and help in providing better services.
Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system
The NavIC is India’s indigenously developed regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate PVT (Position, Velocity, and Timing) service.
It will provide the service to users in India as well within a range of 1500 km beyond the Indian landmass.
NavIC provides two types of services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS) with good accuracy.
The NaviC system will compete with other satellite-based navigation systems- GPS (Global Positioning System) of the United States of America, GLONASS of Russia, BeiDou of China, and the Galelio of the European Union- in the world.
Chairman of ISRO: V Narayanan
Headquarters of ISRO: Bengaluru, Karnataka
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