ISRO Seeks To Make Comeback With Hawkeye Satellite Launch On September 4

After nearly eight months away from the launch pad and following two back-to-back failures of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for a crucial comeback mission, its Chairman Dr V Narayanan told NDTV.

In the early hours of September 4, when most of India will still be asleep, ISRO will attempt to place one of its most ambitious Earth observation satellites into space aboard the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV F17) rocket, Dr Narayanan said.

The mission carries EOS 5, earlier known as GISAT 1A, a satellite designed to provide India with a continuous bird's eye view of the nation from an extraordinary height of nearly 36,000 kilometres above Earth.

According to Dr Narayanan, ISRO plans to carry out seven launches between now and March 2027, including the highly anticipated G1 mission of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, the first uncrewed flight.

He has also laid out an ambitious roadmap for the current financial year. ISRO intends to realise 12 satellites and is targeting eight launch vehicle missions. These missions will support communication, navigation, Earth observation and scientific research while laying the groundwork for future human spaceflight and exploration programmes.

The return to the launchpad comes as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) remains grounded pending the completion of multiple investigations and validation tests after suffering two consecutive failures.

Fortunately for ISRO, the GSLV Mk II that will carry EOS 5 does not share any engines or critical propulsion systems with the PSLV.

The mission itself also carries emotional significance for ISRO.

An earlier attempt to place a similar satellite into orbit ended in disappointment on August 12, 2021. Then, the GSLV F10 rocket carrying EOS 03, the original GISAT satellite, failed after a problem involving the indigenous cryogenic upper stage. The cryogenic engine did not perform as intended, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft. The failure denied India a capability that scientists had long sought and forced ISRO back to the drawing board.

EOS 5 is effectively the successor to that lost mission. The satellite is expected to image the Indian landmass repeatedly through the day, allowing rapid monitoring of cyclones, floods, cloudbursts, forest fires and other fast developing events. Scientists believe it could deliver near-real-time information useful for disaster management agencies, weather forecasters, agricultural planners and security agencies.

That capability is particularly important for a country increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events.

The launch will also provide another opportunity for the GSLV Mk II rocket to demonstrate its maturity and reliability.

The vehicle recently played a key role in putting the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite into space, a landmark Indo-US mission widely regarded as the world's most expensive Earth imaging satellite. The success of that mission strengthened confidence in the GSLV Mk II platform and showcased the progress ISRO has made in mastering complex cryogenic propulsion technology.

For the space agency, therefore, the EOS 5 mission represents much more than the launch of another satellite.