Ray

With the successful launch of the EDUSAT satellite by the first operational GSLV rocket, India has become only the sixth nation capabe of building and succesfully placing an operational payload into geo stationary orbit. In plainspeak, it means that the country can build complex satelites and launch them at will.


Edusat blasts off into space age


SRINIVAS LAXMAN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 05:17:17 AM ]

SRIHARIKOTA: India's educational programme zoomed into the space age on Monday with the successful launch of Rs 332-crore 'Edusat', an indigenously designed satellite devoted to the field of education. The satellite was carried by the 49-metre-tall three-stage GSLV which lifted off at 4.01 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here.

The moments before the blast-off, the mood was one of nervous anticipation in the mission control room. The country's top space scientists sitting before their computers were tense. The launch commentator announced 'mark-10' seconds. At first, the countdown appeared to progress slowly — 10 seconds 9-8-7-6 and 5.

Suddenly it went off in a flash, and closer to the zero-second mark, some of the scientists clasped their hands in a silent prayer. And, then came the announcement that "we have lift-off". As the rocket rose higher and higher, gaining speed every second, its huge yellow flames splashed outwards.

For the first few seconds, as the mighty launch vehicle emerged from the jungle, it was soundless. From a distance, it seemed as though it was riding on a huge pillar of dazzling fire. Eight seconds after the takeoff, came a few staccato bursts which steadily increased becoming at one point an awesome roar, reverberating across the area, reminding one of the powerful guns firing simultaneously.

In the nearby town of Sullurpetta, people left their homes, offices and shops to witness the grand spectacle of the rocket's flight. Within a few seconds, the GSLV was travelling at a whopping speed of 5 km per second and reached a distance of 1,700 km. About 700 seconds later its velocity had gone up to 7 km per second.

Soon, it disappeared into the clouds and the curtains came down on the afternoon's show of sound and light, at least for the moment... As the satellite was nearing its initial parking slot, which is the geo-stationary transfer orbit, the scientists hoped it would reach the area without a hitch.

Seventeen seconds after launch at 4.18 p.m., it reached the orbit and the scientists felt relieved. In a month, after a few tests were done on the satellite, it would be moved to the geo-stationary orbit at a height of 36,000 km above the Earth.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...52,curpg-2.cms

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ajaybhutani

i heard somewhere that indians have the capability to make 0.8m resolution sensing sattelites (ie. better tahn american 1m) is it true?? can anyone please support or contradict this??...
thanks in advance
Ajay