ISRO all set to launch earth observation satellite EOS-08 aboard SSLV-D3 on August 16 – All you need to know

The launch date is set for August 16. Previously, the launch was scheduled on August 15. However, ISRO did not provide an explanation for the hold-up

ISRO has announced that the third and last developmental mission of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D3) will now carry the launch of its latest earth observation satellite, EOS-08. The national space agency with its headquarters in Bengaluru stated that the main goals of the EOS-08 mission are to design and manufacture a microsatellite, create payload sensors that are compatible with the microsatellite bus and incorporate new technologies that will be needed for future operational satellites.

The launch date is set for August 16. Previously, the launch was scheduled on August 15. However, ISRO did not provide an explanation for the hold-up. “SSLV-D3/EOS-08 Mission: The launch of the third developmental flight of SSLV is scheduled for August 16, 2024, in a launch window of one hour starting at 09:17 Hrs. IST,” ISRO posted on social media platform X.

The launch site will be…

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota is the launch site. The mission brings the SSLV Development Project to a close and opens the door for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and Indian industry to pursue operational missions. The mission of the spacecraft lasts for a year. It weighs about 175.5 kg and has a power output of about 420 W. According to ISRO, the satellite communicates with the SSLV-D3/IBL-358 launch vehicle.

EOS-08, which is based on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, is carrying three payloads: the SiC UV Dosimeter, the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), and the Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR).

According to the space agency, the EOIR payload is intended to take pictures in the Mid-Wave IR (MIR) and Long-Wave IR (LWIR) bands both during the day and at night for uses like satellite-based surveillance, environmental monitoring, fire detection, volcanic activity observation, and monitoring of industrial and power plant disasters.

The GNSS-R payload showcases the potential applications of GNSS-R-based remote sensing, including analysis of ocean surface winds, evaluation of soil moisture, cryosphere research across the Himalayan region, flood detection, and detection of inland waterbodies. As a high-dose warning sensor for gamma radiation, the SiC UV Dosimeter tracks UV irradiance at the Crew Module’s viewport during the Gaganyaan Mission.

According to ISRO, EOS-08 marks a significant advancement in satellite mainframe systems such as an Integrated Avionics system, known as the Communication, Baseband, Storage and Positioning (CBSP) Package, which combines multiple functions into a single efficient unit. “This system is designed with cold redundant systems using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and evaluation boards, supporting up to 400 gb of data storage. Additionally, the satellite includes a structural panel embedded with PCB, an embedded battery, a Micro-DGA (Dual Gimbal Antenna), an M-PAA (Phased Array Antenna), and a flexible solar panel, each serving as key components for onboard technology demonstration,” it said.

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