Context: Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) has launched the first Small Satellite Launch Vehicle(SSLV) from Sriharikota.

• The vehicle carried an Earth Observation Satellite named EOS-02 and a co-passenger satellite, ‘Azaadi SAT’ into low earth orbit. However, ISRO later announced that these satellites are no longer usable.

Background

• ISRO launched the maiden flight of its smallest launch vehicle on August 7, 2022, carrying payloads. The mission, called SSLV-D1, is the first developmental flight of the launch vehicle. But it failed to place the satellites in the designated orbits.

About SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission

• Small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) is capable of launching Mini, Micro, or Nanosatellites (10 to 500 kg mass) to a 500 km planar orbit.

• SSLV-D1 mission was supposed to launch EOS-02, a 135 kg Satellite, into low earth orbit of about 350 km to the equator, at an inclination of about 37 degrees.

• ISRO has developed a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) to cater to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to Low Earth Orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’

• EOS-02 is an earth observation satellite designed and realized by ISRO. This microsat series satellite offers advanced optical remote sensing operating in the infra-red band with high spatial resolution.

• The mission was also carrying the AzaadiSAT satellite. AzaadiSAT is an 8U Cubesat weighing around 8 kg. It carries 75 different payloads each weighing around 50 grams and conducts femto-experiments.

• Girl students from rural regions across the country were provided guidance to build these payloads.

Why are these satellites no longer usable?

• The SSLV rocket placed these satellites in an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one.

• An elliptical orbit is the lowest orbit and is not stable due to the Earth’s attraction force due to which the satellites could not stay in orbit and have already crashed. As a result, these satellites are no longer usable.

• Nevertheless, the entire architecture of ISRO’s SSLV performed well apart from the “anomaly” that led to the mission’s failure.

Advantages of SSLV

• Can be assembled within 72 hours by a team of just 5-6 people. 

• It costs at least one-tenth of those currently in use. 

• It can enable a space launch from India every week. 

• It caters specifically to the small and micro satellites that constitute over 90% of all satellites being launched these days.