Countdown begins for India to open its eye in sky

Chennai: The Indian space agency early morning on Wednesday began the countdown for the launch of its GSLV-F10 rocket carrying the country's first Geo Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1) renamed as EOS-03.

The 51.70 metre tall weighing 416 ton Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle -F10 (GSLV-F10) is scheduled to blast off from the second launch pad at the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday at 5.43 am.

The rocket will be carrying the 2,268 kg earth observation satellite (EOS-03) or GISAT-1 and just over 18 minutes into its flight, the satellite will be placed at the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

From the GTO, the satellite will be taken up to its final position firing its onboard motors, said India Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The GSLV is a three stage/engine rocket. The core of the first stage is fired with solid fuel and the four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second is the liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine.

During the countdown, the liquid and cryogenic fuel will be filled. The rocket and the satellite systems will also be checked. The GISAT-1 will be the country's first eye in sky or earth observation satellite to be placed in geostationary orbit.

Once placed in geostationary orbit, the satellite will have a steady eye on the areas of interest -- moving in sync with the rotation of the earth and hence seeming stationary -- unlike other remote sensing satellites placed in lower orbit that can come over a spot only at regular intervals.