Save the date! ISRO announces launch schedule of GSLV Mark-III – India's heaviest rocket

New Delhi: Listen up, space enthusiasts! The date of the much talked about and anticipated launch of India's heaviest rocket – the GSLV Mark-III – has finally been announced!

On June 5, 2017, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launching communication satellite GSAT-19 using its heaviest rocket which has a capacity to lift a four ton satellites to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), the Indian space agency said on Tuesday, at 5:28 pm IST.

This will be GSLV Mark-III's maiden launch and the space agency said that 'if all goes well', this rocket could well be the one to take Indians to space in the future.

ISRO – that is now at par with and giving tough competition to its global counterparts – will enter into a bold new world muscling its way to make its mark in the world's heavy weight multi-billion dollar launch market with its latest venture.

This heavy lift rocket is capable of placing up to 8 tons in a low Earth orbit, enough to carry India's crew module.

The rocket in its first developmental flight, will carry communication satellite GSAT-19 weighing 3,136 kg as it blasts off from the second launch pad at the rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The GSLV-MK III-D1 is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons, a liquid propellant core stage and a cryogenic stage (C25).

GSAT-19 carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders.

Besides, it carries a Geostationary Radiation Spectrometer (GRASP) payload to monitor and study the nature of charged particles and the influence of space radiation on satellites and their electronic components.

GSAT-19 also features certain advanced spacecraft technologies including miniaturised heat pipe, fibre optic gyro, Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer, Ku-band TTC transponder, as well an indigenous Lithium-ion Battery.

(With IANS inputs)