The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched the INSAT-3D satellite into space on 17 February 2024. The satellite was launched from Sriharikota at 5:35 pm on Saturday by the GSLV rocket. It will monitor the Earth and sea levels, and provide accurate weather forecasts and advance information about natural disasters. The ISRO has named this satellite ‘Naughty Boy’.
ISRO Chairman, S Somnath, said that the successful launch of this satellite has given them greater confidence. The launch of this satellite had failed earlier, but finally, it was successful. Project director Tommy Joseph said, “the Naughty boy has turned into a disciplined teenager.”
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The INSAT-3D satellite has a weight of 2,274 kg and is a third-generation meteorological satellite. The Union Ministry of Geosciences funded the project. As per the plan, the rocket is expected to separate 20 minutes after launch, placing the satellite in its designated orbit. According to sources, the GSLV rocket has been launched 15 times so far, but it has suffered disturbances in six of those launches, resulting in a failure rate of 40 percent. The last successful GSLV launch was on May 29, 2023, while the rocket failed on August 12, 2021.
The GSLV rocket is 51.7 meters long and weighs over 4 lakh kg. It is a three-stage rocket that uses an Indian-made cryogenic engine. ISRO plans to retire the rocket after a few more launches. The ‘Launch Vehicle Mark-3’ or ‘Baahubali Rocket,’ which is heavier than the GSLV rocket, has been launched successfully seven times. ISRO’s ‘Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)’ rocket also boasts a high success rate, with only three failures out of 60 launches.
