ISRO has announced that its latest earth observation satellite, EOS-08, will be launched on August 16, 2024 with the third and final developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3, PTI reported.
This update is in line with the earlier plan to launch the satellite on August 15, 2024. The space agency did not give any specific reason for the delay.
The aim of the mission is to finalise the development of the SSLV to make it fully operational for future missions as part of a collaboration between Indian industry and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The launch of the satellite will take place from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota during a one-hour launch window that will open at 09:17 IST.
EOS-08, built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, has a mission duration of one year. Weighing around 175.5 kg and generating around 420 watts of power, the satellite will be launched using the SSLV-D3/IBL-358 launch vehicle. The satellite has three main payloads: an electro-optical infrared (EOIR) payload, a Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) payload and a silicon carbide (SiC) UV dosimeter.
The EOIR payload is equipped to capture images in the mid-wave infrared (MIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectrum during both day and night. This capability is expected to support a wide range of applications including satellite-based surveillance, disaster and environmental monitoring, fire detection, and industrial disaster assessment.
The GNSS-R payload is set to demonstrate the potential of GNSS-reflectometry for remote sensing applications such as analyzing sea surface winds, estimating soil moisture, cryosphere studies in the Himalayan region, and detecting floods and inland water bodies.
Additionally, the SiC UV dosimeter will monitor UV radiation for the crew module of the Gaganyaan mission. It will also act as a high dose alarm sensor for gamma radiation, thereby enhancing safety measures in space missions.
According to ISRO, the EOS-08 satellite represents a significant leap forward in mainframe systems, particularly with the introduction of an integrated avionics system. This system, known as the Communications, Baseband, Storage and Positioning (CBSP) package, integrates multiple functions into a single unit using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. It provides up to 400 GB of data storage and includes various advanced technologies, such as a structural panel embedded with a PCB, a micro-DGA (dual gimbal antenna), an M-PAA (phased array antenna), and a flexible solar panel, all of which are critical to onboard technology performance.
