First Flight of SSLV Ends in Failure: What Exactly Went Wrong With the ISRO Mission?
upstart writes:
ISRO, has attributed the problem to a sensor issue and vowed to come back 'soon with SSLV-D2':
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) maiden's small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV), carrying earth observation satellite EOS-02 and co-passenger students satellite AzaadiSAT, didn't go as planned on Sunday.
The mission went awry as the SSLV-D1 placed the satellites in an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one, rendering them "no longer usable", as ISRO later said in a statement.
In its statement, ISRO said, "SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation."
[...] The mission by the space agency was aimed at garnering a larger pie in the small launch vehicles market, as it could place the satellites into Low Earth Orbit.
As per a report published in The Wire, the problem appeared to be the SSLV's terminal stage, called the velocity trimming module (VTM). According to the launch profile, the VTM was supposed to have burnt for 20 seconds at 653 seconds after launch. However, it burnt for only 0.1 seconds, denying the rocket of the requisite altitude boost.
[...] According to the ISRO, "failure of logic to identify a sensor failure and go for salvage action caused the deviation. A committee would analyse and recommend. With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2".
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