Another feather on Isro’s cap

There was another watershed moment for India’s space research programme as the 630 tonne, three stage Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III took off smoothly from Sriharikota.

The step represented the crossing of a new frontier in space technology as the crew module (unmanned), released at an altitude of 126 km, splashed down as predicted in the Bay of Bengal, defying 4,000°C heat and a complex re-entry. The heavy rocket, which flew the crew module into space, will be Isro’s mainstay launcher.

Besides taking India closer to manned missions, the launcher also doubles the payload. This means heavier communication satellites of the four-tonne category can be launched. 

It may take a while for India to master this technology as a full-fledged launch of the rocket with a heavy-duty cryogenic engine is some time away. But, once it does, the country can hope to capture a major share of the commercial space launches.

The conquest of space is an expensive programme and India’s success has often been met with outright cynicism.

An inquiring mind and the ability to dream big has been the forte of India’s space engineers, who are technocrats working as a team and driving fantastic programmes that are setting standards for the world. Each success reinforces the feeling that they are worthy of all the support India can give them.