ISRO enters commercial global launch market

Sriharikota: In a historic maiden commercial flight, the heavy-lift rocket GSLV MkIII, renamed for this mission as LVM3 M2, placed 36 satellites of UK-based OneWeb into orbit successfully. With this, India has put one more rocket to compete in the global commercial satellite launch market. The 43.5-metre tall and weighing 644-ton LVM3 M2 rocket, carrying 36 satellites weighing totally 5,796 kg or about 5.7 ton, blasted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 12.07 am.

With the thick orange flame at its tail, the rocket lit up the clear midnight sky, and growling it went up. About 20 minutes into its flight, the LVM3 began slinging the satellites of Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) into low earth orbit (LEO). Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath told reporters: "The satellite separation is a slow process. All the satellites got separated successfully. The rocket's cryogenic engine was at its best." OneWeb Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said: "It is a historic day for the Indian space sector. It is a new chapter for India in the space sector."

Mittal said OneWeb had put a request to ISRO for the launch of its satellites a few months back and the space agency accepted the challenge to carry out two launches of 36 satellites each. Referring to OneWeb's planned launch of its Gen2 satellites, Mittal said the company may need about 12-16 launches and ISRO will have a major role to play. "There is a shortage of launch vehicles and ISRO now has a great opportunity," Mittal added.