ISRO's GSAT-29 successfully launched from Sriharikota; 'credit to entire team,' says agency chairman K Sivan

India’s heaviest rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-MkII) carrying communication satellite GSAT-29 successfully launched from the rocket port in Sriharikota.

📡LIVE Now: Launch of GSLV Mk-III D2/ GSAT-29 Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota https://t.co/nIwBVLhaBx

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 14, 2018

All of the GSLV-Mk III’s 640 tons in weight and 43.4 metres in height blasted off at 5.08 pm.

The rocket slighed the 3,423 kg-GSAT-29 satellite into Geo-Transfer Orbit (GTO) and raised to its final position in the Geo-Stationary orbit (GSO) — 36,000 kilometres from the Earth’s surface just 16 minutes after launch.

The satellite, called GSAT-29, is a communications satellite with two separate payloads designed to improve telecommunication and internet services under the ‘ Digital India ’ program in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

The satellite, developed by ISRO, will be carried on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-III) rocket to low-Earth orbit. Along for the ride are also a few additional payloads — an experimental Q and V band communication satellite, a device for optical communication and a high-resolution camera — part of a demonstration for use in future ISRO space missions.

There are two more launches planned before the year-end — the GSAT-7A satellite for use by the Indian Air Force later this month, and the GSAT-11, which was recalled from the launchpad in April year during pre-flight tests. The satellite will have another go at a launch from the European spaceport in French Guinea on 4 December, the ToI  report  said.

Liftoff!

And the GSLV rocket is off the ground! The next big step is the seperation of the booster rockets after it crosses the atmosphere at 5.16 pm 14 November 4.53 pm IST

Mission director approves rocket for launch 

The Mission Director and the Vehicle Director give their thumbs up for the GSLV-MkIII rocket’s automatic launch sequence. 15 minutes to liftoff! 14 November 4.06 pm IST

A stunning glimpse of the GSLV at the launchpad

This image of the GSLV-MkIII against from last evening captured the mood of the twitter crowd today: proud, excited and restless. Just an hour and 2 minutes before liftoff!

Update #10#ISROMissions#GSLVMkIIID2#GSAT29

As we eagerly wait for the completion of the filling up of Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for the cryogenic upper stage, which will set the tone for the launch in an hour, here's a marvelous capture of the vehicle last evening. pic.twitter.com/YctnMhh90L

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

14 November 2.31 pm IST ISRO to stream the launch live! Good news, space junkies! The launch will be streamed live on ISRO’s website here , and telecast on DD National starting 4.45 pm IST.

Update #8#ISROMissions#GSLVMkIIID2#GSAT29

Watch the live telecast on @DDNational at 16:45 (IST) and live streaming on our website https://t.co/PM74Oc8f2u

Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/H8neLg2rXm

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

14 November 2.10 pm IST Satellite turned on ISRO has turned on its GSAT-29 satellite for final checks before launch and release into orbit. Just 3 hours to go now before blastoff! [Rumour has it that ISRO also plans to stream the launch live on its website!>

Update #7#ISROMissions#GSLVMkIIID2#GSAT29
Satellite powered on.

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

14 November 1.41 pm IST Rocket engine prepared for launch   The GSLV’s cryogenic rocket engine is filled with liquid oxygen maintained at ultra-cool temperatures. This is the coolest of the rocket’s three stages and will generate a whopping 2MW power of thrust, which is far greater than previous engines used for the Mark-series of rockets.

Update #6#ISROMissions#GSLVMkIIID2#GSAT29
Filling of liquid oxygen in cryogenic stage commenced. This stage generates 2MW power. More updates to follow.

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

14 November 12.08 pm IST Avionics on GSLV-MkIII look healthy ISRO engineers test the myriad of communication, navigation, electronic systems, and hundreds others that are fitted into the launch vehicle for it to perform as expected. All systems the pings from the rocket’s avionics look healthy, ISRO announced in a tweet. 5 hours to go until takeoff!

Update #5#ISROMissions#GSLVMkIIID2#GSAT29
Launch vehicle avionics health checks completed. All systems are healthy. We are now 5 hours from the launch. Updates will continue.@PMOIndia

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

14 November 10.46 am IST GSLV-MkIII fuelled on the launchpad After seven months of disuse, the GSLV-MkIII-D2 rocket is fuelled with standard rocket fuel mixture (UH25) and a propellant oxidiser (N2O4) in the rocket’s lower stage many hours ahead of its launch at 5.08 pm IST today.

Update #4#ISROMissions
The filling of fuel (UH25) and oxidiser (N2O4) in L110 stage has been completed for today's 17:08 (IST) launch of #GSLVMkIIID2 carrying #GSAT29 from SDSC SHAR Sriharikota. Watch this space for all updates.@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/QCINRlY7iP

— ISRO (@isro) November 14, 2018

13 November 4.01 pm IST Countdown to launch begins The countdown till GSLV-MkIII-D2 rocket’s blastoff began at 2.50 pm IST today at the Sriharikota launchpad. The launch is scheduled for 5.08 pm on 14 November.

Update #3#ISROMissions
The countdown has begun today 14:50 (IST) for the launch of #GSLVMkIIID2 carrying #GSAT29 at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. Launch scheduled at 17:08 (IST) on Nov 14. More updates to follow. @PMOIndia @pibchennai
Curtain-raiser video on https://t.co/MX54Cx57KU pic.twitter.com/E0atwxj9HP

— ISRO (@isro) November 13, 2018

12 November | 5.23 pm IST Rocket and satellite moved to the launchpad The GSLV-MkIII-D2 rocket carrying its prime cargo, the communications satellite GSAT-29, was successfully moved to the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota a few days before launch day zero.

Update #2#ISROMissions
The #GSLVMkIIID2 carrying #GSAT29 being moved to the 2nd launch pad at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota ahead of its launch on Nov 14. Stay tuned for more updates on https://t.co/MX54Cx57KU@PMOIndia @DrJitendraSingh @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/1eJy1uHTlI

— ISRO (@isro) November 12, 2018

What makes the mission significant:

The GSAT-29 mission, satellite, and rocket are important to fulfilling different aspects of ISRO’s future plans.

Dusting off the MarkIII: The GSLV-MkIII is ISRO’s heaviest rocket by far, and will be flown almost seven months after its last mission in April to put  the IRNSS-1I satellite  into low-Earth orbit.

Developmental flight for Gaganyaan: The GSAT-29 mission is especially important to ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission. It is the second in a series of developmental trials of ISRO’s heavy-weight GSLV-MkIII rocket before it flies three Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit in India’s first manned mission to space (or more accurately, low-Earth orbit).

The next milestone: The agency’s launch calendar is brimming with launches for the months leading up the next launch of global importance — the Chandrayaan-2 mission to send an orbiter, lander, and rover to the moon, scheduled for launch on 3 January 2019.

The Rocket Manifest:

The satellite, called GSAT-29, is a communications satellite with two separate payloads designed to improve telecommunication and internet services under the ‘ Digital India ’ program in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.

“The high-speed bandwidth will bridge the digital divide in the hinterland,” Sivan  told  ToI.

Along for the ride are also a few additional payloads — an experimental Q and V band communication satellite, a device for optical communication and a high-resolution camera — part of a demonstration for use in future ISRO space missions.

This will help realising future advanced satellites, ISRO said.