Ten things you should know about GSLV-D5

Sunday’s launch is India’s eighth flight of GSLV and also the fourth GSLV?developmental flight.

Update: 2014-01-06 08:23 GMT
  1. Sunday’s launch is India’s eighth flight of GSLV and also the fourth GSLV?developmental flight. During this flight, the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) was flight tested for the second time.
  2. GSAT-14 is India’s 23rd geostationary communication satellite, as four of GSAT-14’s predecessors were launched by GSLV during 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007. 
  3. GSAT-14 would join the group of India’s nine operational geostationary satellites. 
  4. Twin purpose of Rs 365 crore launch - To test the ISRO cryogenic engine and put in orbit communication satellite GSAT-14. 
  5. 49.13-metre tall rocket of 414.75 tonnes slung the 1,982 kg GSAT-14 towards intended orbit around 17 minutes into flight. 
  6. A cryogenic engine is more efficient providing more thrust for every kilogram of propellant burnt. 
  7. The 3-stage engine rocket GSLV’s core of first stage is fired with solid fuel while the four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second stage is the liquid fuel and the third stage is the cryogenic engine. 
  8. Indigenous launch saves precious foreign exchange as Ariane used to launch India’e heavy satellites, mostly off South America, paying as much as '500 crore for sending up 3.5-tonne communication satellites. The cost of GSLV is Rs 220 crore, according to Mr K. Radhakrishnan, chairman, ISRO. 
  9. ISRO can only send smaller communication satellites, say up to 2.2 tonnes till it gets an advanced GSLV variant – GSLV-Mark III – that can launch satellites weighing up to four tonnes. 
  10. GSLV’s success is critical for ISRO to move to the next stage in space exploration as it plans to land a spacecraft on the moon and launch a manned space flight.

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