ISRO’s
LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission
LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission was successfully launched on
26 March 2023. In its sixth consecutive successful flight of LVM3, the vehicle
placed 36 satellites belonging to the OneWeb Group Company in their intended
450 km circular orbit with an inclination of 87.4 degrees.
The vehicle took off with a total
payload of 5,805 kg at 09:00:20 hours IST from the second launch pad at
SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota. It achieved satellite injection conditions in about 17
minutes and began injecting the satellites from the twentieth minute. The
vehicle performed a sophisticated manoeuvre to orient in orthogonal directions
and injected the satellites into precise orbits with defined time-gaps to avoid
collision of the satellites.
Godrej Aerospace contributes to ISRO's heaviest rocket LVM3
Godrej Aerospace,
a business unit of Godrej & Boyce,
the flagship company of the Godrej Group, has contributed to the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark III), ISRO's
heaviest launcher till date. For this mission, the L110 engine for the core stage and the CE20 engine thrust chamber for the upper
stage have been made by Godrej Aerospace. With a steadfast dedication to
indigenous manufacturing for India's space endeavours, Godrej Aerospace has
contributed to all PSLV and GSLV
launches in the country and has delivered over 175 engines and other critical equipment till date.
ISRO
conducts Rail Track Rocket Sled deployment tests
ISRO conducted the Rail Track Rocket Sled deployment tests
of the Gaganyaan Pilot and Apex Cover Separation (ACS) parachutes in cluster
configurations at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL),
Chandigarh, in March 2023. The first test simulated the clustered deployment of
two pilot parachutes. One parachute was subjected to a minimum angle with
respect to flow conditions and the second parachute was subjected to a maximum
angle with respect to flow. These pilot parachutes are used in the Gaganyaan
mission to extract and deploy the main parachutes independently.
The second test simulated the clustered deployment of two
ACS parachutes under maximum dynamic pressure conditions. The test also
simulated clustered deployment at a 90-degree angle of attack conditions for
the crew module. The ACS parachutes are used in the Gaganyaan mission for the
separation of the apex cover mounted on the Crew Module. Both pilot and ACS
parachutes were deployed using a pyrotechnic mortar device.
The Gaganyaan parachute system development has been a
joint effort by VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram and Aerial Delivery Research and
Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra.
Chandrayaan-3
undergoes Integrated Module Dynamic Tests
Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully completed the
essential tests that validated its capability to withstand the harsh vibration
and acoustic environment that the spacecraft would face during its launch.
These tests were conducted during the first week of March 2023 at the test
facilities located at the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. These tests are
an essential part of the qualification and acceptance process for any
spacecraft. These tests were particularly challenging, considering the fact
that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is a composite of three modules viz.
Propulsion Module, Lander Module and the Rover module.
