ISRO maiden SSLV launch: India's smallest rocket lifts off from Sriharikota, watch video

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) of India successfully launched its first Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Sunday, carrying an earth observation satellite and a student satellite. For a greater portion of the SSLV market, ISRO has undertaken a mission to deploy satellites weighing up to 500 kg in low Earth orbit, or 500 km above the surface of the Earth's surface.

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#WATCH ISRO launches SSLV-D1 carrying an Earth Observation Satellite & a student-made satellite-AzaadiSAT from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota

(Source: ISRO) pic.twitter.com/A0Yg7LuJvs

— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2022

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), approximately 135 kilometres from Chennai, planned to launch the rocket at 9:18 a.m. from the first launch pad. The EOS-02 and AzaadiSAT satellites are anticipated to be placed in orbit about 13 minutes following launch.

SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission: the launch is scheduled at 9:18 am (IST). Watch LIVE from 08:30 am here: https://t.co/V1Bk6GZoCF pic.twitter.com/ZTYo8NFXac

— ISRO (@isro) August 7, 2022

“SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission: the countdown commenced at 02.26hrs," ISRO said on its website on Sunday. The launch was scheduled at 9:18 AM.

As opposed to the tried-and-true Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) of ISRO, the SSLV has the capability to launch payloads weighing as much as 500 kg into a 500 km low Earth orbit.

The first three stages, which are responsible for elevating the payloads to the required height, are powered by hydroxyl terminated polubutadiene solid fuel. The Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) is used to put the satellites into orbit in the fourth stage.