ISRO's Next Launch, An Experimental Satellite Ride On A Small Rocket

To celebrate India's Independence Day, a small rocket with big ambitions is set to fly. ISRO's baby rocket, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), will carry an experimental earth imaging satellite named EOS-8 and SR-0 Demo Sat made by a Chennai-based start-up with a cheeky name - Space Rickshaw, Both will be lofted into a low Earth orbit from Sriharikota on Friday morning.

"It is a trailblazing satellite packed with new futuristic technologies," says Dr M Sankaran, Director of the UR Rao Satellite Center (URSC) adding that "the small 175 kg, EOS-8 satellite is packed with new and novel experimental technologies that will help power ISRO's and India's dreams."

The first flight of the SSLV in 2022 ended in failure but its second flight on February 10 in 2023 was successful. ISRO feels after this third flight, the technology for SSLV can be transferred to the industry. According to ISRO, nearly 21 new technologies are being tested. The start-up Space Rickshaw will also launch a half-kg satellite.

A very unique instrument on board the EOS8 satellite will measure how much exposure happens to surfaces through ultra-violet (UV light), and this will be a forerunner instrument for a similar package to be used on Gaganyaan to measure how much cancer-causing UV light exposure the "Gaganyatris" face on their space mission.

The SSLV is a slim and trim rocket that can carry a few hundred kilograms to space but the main selling point is that it can have a turn-around time within a week. ISRO hopes the industry will fully take over the launcher and make it a commercial success. In future, it could also be used as a missile.

Dr S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says, "By its sheer simplicity and production friendliness, SSLV will be a game changer in the industry production and launch goal for commercial launchers of India."

With this India has dreams of breaking into the lucrative small satellite launch market that is only growing by leaps and bounds.

The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle has been designed by ISRO keeping in mind the growing global market for small satellites. The rocket is 34 metres high, and weighs just 120 tonnes and can carry about 500 kilograms into space in a low Earth orbit of about 350-400 kilometres above Earth. In comparison, India's heaviest rocket the Bahubali or the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mk 3) weighs 640 tonnes. SSLV has been in the making for more than seven years and readied at a total cost outlay of over Rs 170 crore.

While ISRO does not make the cost public knowledge, analysts estimate that each SSLV rocket will cost about Rs 30-35 crore per launch making it one of the cheapest launchers in its class.

Dr Somanath says, "SSLV is designed for large-scale production, flexible integration and minimal tests prior to launch. In fact, full rocket can be rested and kept in storage,"

According to a Bloomberg report, the global small satellite industry was estimated at $3.25 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to hit $13.71 billion by 2030. Hence, the promise of commercialisation of SSLV is huge.  

"There is no risk in flying a high-end satellite on a developmental flight of the SSLV," asserts Dr Sankaran, adding, "We are very confident of the rocket's performance."

If this launch succeeds Dr Sankaran says, "Since India may need hundreds of these micro-satellites the technology will be transferred to an interested industrial partner to take it forward on a commercial basis," on the same lines the small rocket technology will also be handed over to the industry.

In the 'Decadal Vision and Strategy for Indian Space Economy', authored in December 2023 by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman wrote, "The successful implementation of the roadmap laid out herein will take the value of the Indian space economy to US $44 billion by 2033 and catapult us to an 8% share in the global space economy, a significant leap from the current value of US $8.4 billion and 2% share in the global space economy".