ISRO successfully launches its heaviest rocket LVM3-M2

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its heaviest rocket LVM3-M2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota spaceport, Andhra Pradesh on 23 October 2022. The mission, which was named LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1, carried 36 broadband communication satellites of OneWeb Company.

It was the first commercial launch of the GSLV Mk3 now called LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3). M2 means that it is the second mission of the rocket.

The launch was part of the contract between OneWeb, a London-based company, and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, to launch One Web LEO satellite launches on board ISRO's LVM3.

Satellite carried by the Rocket 

It carried 36 broadband communication satellites of the United Kingdom based company OneWeb. OneWeb is a private satellite communications company, in which India's Bharti Enterprises (Airtel) is a major investor and shareholder.

The satellites were later successfully placed in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). 

The company’s constellation of satellites will be used to beam internet connectivity to terrestrial regions, in a service that will compete with Elon Musk-backed Starlink by SpaceX, Jeff Bezos-backed Project Kuiper.

LVM3-M2 Rocket 

The LVM3-M2 is a three-stage launch vehicle that has two strap-on solid propellant stages (S200) on its sides and a core stage that consists of an L110 liquid stage and a C25 cryogenic stage. 

The rocket was earlier called GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) MkIII and ISRO had successfully carried out four missions.

The current rocket has the ability to launch 8 tonnes satellite into the LEO and satellites weighing up to 4,000 kg into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)

What is LEO? 

A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit that is relatively close to Earth’s surface. It is normally at an altitude of 2000 km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth. The satellite placed in this orbit is used for communication, spying, remote sensing etc.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 

It was set up on 15 August 1969

It is India's national space agency.

Headquarters: Bengaluru

Chairman: S.Somanath