India successfully launches GSLV D5 with indigenous cryogenic technology

                
                       
GSLV D5 with indigenous cryogenic technology is one of the most important launch ISRO carried out in the recent past which successfully placed the GSAT-14 in the orbit. GSLV(Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) D5 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. "I am happy to say that Team ISRO has done it," ISRO chief Dr K Radhakrishnan said after what was a make-or-break launch for the space agency owing to two earlier failures.

This mission has faced a huge failures and has been one of the most challenging mission that ISRO faced till date. On August 19, 2013, a major mishap was averted and the launch of the GSLV was aborted 74 minutes before lift-off after ISRO scientists found that about 750 kilograms of highly inflammable and explosive fuel had leaked out in the second stage.



For over 20 years, the cryogenic technology was denied to India by Russia under pressure from the US. The launch today defies that denial regime and marks the coming of age of India's indigenous space technology. Now, India seeks to attract foreign satellite launches due to its competitive cost.

It placed the 2 ton satellite in the orbit after 17 minutes of flight.The precision of the cryogenic upper stage was such that it put the GSAT-14 into an orbit with a perigee of 179 km, against the target of 180 km, and the apogee achieved was off by a mere 50 km for a target of 36,000 km.

The mission’s success means India now has the ability to put satellites weighing more than two tonnes in orbit, joining the elite club of the U.S., Russia, France, Japan and China who have mastered this perilous technology of using cryogenic propellants -- liquid oxygen at minus 183 degrees Celsius and liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees’ Celsius. ISRO said the GSLV-D5 will be operational after one more test.

ISRO all set to use this vehicle fro the launch of chandrayaan 2 at 2016. This successful launch ensure India is right among the top nation in the fight for space and can effective put many telecommunication satellite into orbit.

This is an important milestone for independent India in space rivalry and surely a success to rejoice.