ISRO Creates History, Successful First Commercial Launch

ISRO creates history, successful first commercial launch; LMV-3 rocket takes off with OneWeb’s 36 satellites.

ISRO created history and entered the commercial satellite launch market.

The Indian space agency’s heaviest rocket 43.5 meters long LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) took off carrying 36 satellites of the British startup.

The launch took place from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 12:07 midnight on Saturday-Sunday.

These communication satellites were placed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) under the LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 mission. The LMV-3 is capable of carrying satellites up to 8,000 kg.

ISRO creates history, successful first commercial launch: India will address the lack of satellite launches.

Expressing happiness over the launch, ISRO Chairman S Somnath said that there is a shortage of rockets to launch satellites in the world, according to the news agency.

In such a situation, India can bridge this gap in the global commercial satellite launch market with its LVM 3 rocket. OneWeb is a private satellite communications company.

The Indian company Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb. With this launch, LVM-3 will enter the global commercial satellite launch market.

Signed two launch contracts.

‘LVM-3’ was earlier known as the ‘GSLV Mk-3 rocket. NewSpace India Limited, a public sector central enterprise (CPSE) functioning under the Department of Space and the space agency’s commercial arm, has signed two launch contracts with UK-based OneWeb.

OneWeb to pay over Rs 1,000 crore to India.

OneWeb Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said the company will pay over Rs 1,000 crore to ISRO/NewSpace India Ltd for launching 72 satellites.

The first batch of 36 satellites was launched on Saturday-Sunday midnight on an LVM3 rocket.

The launch of 36 satellites will also take place in January next year from the LVM 3 rocket. OneWeb plans to launch 648 satellites for its broadband services around the world.