ISRO Missions and Discoveries

Third launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota

Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Launh stations in India

Why in the News?

The Union Cabinet approved the construction of a third launchpad at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.  In 2024, PM laid the foundation stone for ISRO’s second rocket launchport at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district. (The first one being the Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.)

Who was Satish Dhawan?

  • Born in Srinagar, Satish Dhawan was a prominent Indian rocket scientist and is hailed as the ‘Father of Experimental Fluid Dynamics Research’ in India.
  • Succeeded Vikram Sarabhai as ISRO Chairman in 1972.
  • Oversaw a period of extraordinary growth in India’s space program, including the development of:
    • INSAT: India’s telecommunications satellite system.
    • IRS: The Indian Remote Sensing satellite program.
    • PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, which positioned India as a major spacefaring nation.
  • Legacy:
    • Passed away in 2002, after which the Sriharikota space center was renamed the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in his honor.

About the New Launchpad 

  • The new launchpad at Sriharikota aims to bolster India’s space capabilities.
  • It will support Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) missions and enhance ISRO’s capacity to launch advanced satellites and spacecraft.
  • Significance: This is India’s sole operational spaceport, serving as the hub for spacecraft and satellite launches since its inception.

How and why was Sriharikota selected as the Launch Site?

  • 1960s Search: India’s search for an ideal launch site began in the 1960s when the country decided to develop indigenous satellites and launch vehicles.
  • Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space program, tasked EV Chitnis to identify a site on the east coast.
  • Survey and Acquisition: By October 1968, approximately 40,000 acres of land were acquired in Sriharikota.
  • Reasons for Choosing Sriharikota:
    • East Coast Location: Launching rockets eastward takes advantage of Earth’s rotational speed, adding an extra velocity boost of 450 m/s, especially beneficial for geostationary satellites.
    • Proximity to the Equator: Rockets launching near the equator require less energy to reach geostationary orbits, making the location ideal for such missions.
    • Uninhabited Area: The site’s sparse population minimizes risks during rocket launches and component re-entry.
    • Access to the Sea: Proximity to the Bay of Bengal ensures that rocket debris falls into the sea, avoiding hazards to land or human settlements.
    • Strategic Accessibility: Adequate access to resources, infrastructure, and government support facilitated the development of a robust launch facility.

PYQ:

[2018] With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements:

  1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
  2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
  3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 3 only

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