For the first-time ever, enthusiasts can witness the maiden launch of an all-new Indian rocket from an Indian Spaceport. The Indian Space Research Organization has announced that the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle(SSLV) will be having its maiden flight or first developmental flight on Saturday, August 7th, at 9:18am, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The icing on the cake is that public will be allowed to witness the launch from up-close, from ISRO’s Launch Viewers gallery. 

India’s workhorse PSLV rocket had its maiden flight in 1993, GSLV rocket in 2001 and GSLV Mk3 rocket in 2017. However, during these launches the public did not have any means to witness the launch from the spaceport. In recent years, ISRO has inaugurated a Launch Viewers Gallery at Sriharikota and the public will have the opportunity to witness it from there, based on prior registration with ISRO.

SSLV is a rocket that is designed to orbit satellites weighing less than 500kg in Low Earth Orbit. Dr. Somanath had earlier told WION that SSLV was being conceptualized as a rocket that can be handed over to Indian industry for the entire manufacturing process and it can be put together for launch in a week’s time. He had added that SSLV uses less-exotic materials in its manufacturing process to ensure that it is kept simple and easy to adopt by industry. 

On its maiden launch, the SSLV’s primary payload is said to be the 142kg ‘Miscrosat 2A’ or ‘EOS-2’, which is meant to meet the increasing demand for cadastral mapping(demarcation of land parcel boundaries), urban and rural management, coastal land use etc. The satellite carries two payloads MWIR and LWIR, with the resolution of 6meters.   

In addition to this, a student-built satellite ‘AzaadiSAT’ will also be piggybacking on the SSLV.