Question: Recently, South Asia Satellite GSAT-9 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) via which of the following rocket?
(a) GSLV-L09
(b) GSLV-F09
(c) GSLV-F06
(d) GSLV-F05
Ans (b)
Related facts:
- On May 05, 2017, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched South Asia Satellite GSAT-9 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
- It was launched at 4:57 pm from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
- It was launched via a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket named “GSLV-F09”.
- GSLV-F09 mission is the eleventh flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and its fourth consecutive flight with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS).
- Seven of the eight SAARC countries- India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives, are part of the project.
- The satellite cost around Rs 235 crore is fully funded by India.
- The satellite will enable a full range of services to neighbours including the areas of telecommunication, television, direct-to-home, VSATs, tele-education and tele-medicine.
- It can also provide secure hotlines among the participating nations, which will be useful for management of disasters like earthquakes, cyclones, floods and tsunamis.
- It is notable that in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked ISRO scientists to make a ‘SAARC satellite’. It is a gift to neighboring countries from India.
- The mission life is more than 12 years.
Reference:
http://www.isro.gov.in/launcher/gslv-f09-gsat-9
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/860460721225596928
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=161597
http://www.ptinews.com/news/8675214_India-successfully-launches-South-Asia-Communication.html
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/05/indias-glsv-gsat-9-launch/