Hyderabad: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its rocket carrying 36 satellites of the United Kingdom’s Global Communication Network OneWeb on October 23. This rocket, LVM3, will be ISRO’s heaviest rocket and will make the launcher’s entry into the global commercial launch service market. LVM3 was earlier called GSLV Mk III. The satellites will be launched on Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV MkIII) at 12.07 am from Satish Dhawan Space Center of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.Also Read – Chandrayaan-2, Hovering In Lunar Orbit Since 2019, Maps Abundance Of Sodium On Moon For 1st Time
ISRO will be carrying out this launch, as part of a contract between NewSpace India Limited (ISRO’s commercial arm) and OneWeb, the UK-based Low Earth Orbit Satellite communications company. With this launch, OneWeb will have over 70% of its planned Gen 1 LEO Constellation in orbit. The company is working towards delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity services around the world. Also Read – Mangalayaan Era Comes To An End, 'Is Non-Recoverable' Confirms ISRO | A Peek Into Its Long Innings
LVM3 – M2/OneWeb India-1 Mission: Launch scheduled at 0007 hrs. IST on October 23, 2022. Cryo stage, equipment bay (EB) assembly completed. Satellites are encapsulated and assembled in the vehicle. Final vehicle checks are in progress. @NSIL_India @OneWeb pic.twitter.com/pPbqjDjFmS
— ISRO (@isro) October 14, 2022
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Earlier this month, ISRO said that NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Space and the commercial arm of the space agency, had signed two launch service contracts with the UK-based Network Access Associates Limited (OneWeb) for launching OneWeb LEO (low earth orbit) broadband communication satellites on-board ISRO’s LVM3.
”It is the first LVM3-dedicated commercial launch on demand through NSIL,” ISRO had said.
”This contract with M/s OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO, as LVM3, is making its entry into the global commercial launch service market,” it had said.
The newest rocket is capable of launching a four-tonne class of satellites into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
LVM3 is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons, a liquid propellant core stage and a cryogenic stage.
India’s Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.