With the green signal from a national team of experts, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has fixed a tentative date of August 19 to launch GSAT-14 using the GSLV-D5.
The GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) platform failures which have been a cause of embarrassment to the space agency, will be powered by the indigenous Cryogenic engine.
Sources in Isro said that the agency is looking at a 5 pm launch on August 19, if everything falls in place. Speaking to Deccan Herald, former Isro Chairman U R Rao said: “The vehicle has been given a go ahead as the required changes have been made. We should be able to have a successful launch in the third week of August.”
Rao, who along with Prof Roddam Narasimha, was part of the panel that gave the go-ahead for the launch said, there is, however, a long way to go before the platform gains its trust.
“Even if the proposed launch is a success, we will have to wait for successive flights without glitches to be able to use GSLV on more meaningful projects,” he said. Isro has already completed the assembling of the rocket/vehicle. “Even electrical checks are complete,” a source said, adding that the agency has done over 30 ground tests of the platform, which had failed in 2010.
Important for India
The success of GSLV is important for India as a lot of Isro’s future projects, including the proposed Human Spaceflight will need a platform with its capabilities. “PSLV has proved itself. But it has weight limitations, which becomes critical in important projects. Thereby, the success of the August flight, and subsequent ones after that is the need of the hour for Isro,” one of the scientists said.