ISRO's EOS-8 Successfully Launched, Paving Way for Commercial SSLV Missions

ISRO successfully launched the EOS-8 satellite from Sriharikota, marking the completion of its SSLV Development Project. The satellite will enhance satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, and other critical observations. The mission's success opens doors for the Indian industry to produce SSLVs for commercial use.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Earth Observation Satellite-8 (EOS-8) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on Friday. ISRO announced on X that the third developmental flight of SSLV had successfully placed EOS-08 precisely into orbit, completing ISRO/DOS's SSLV Development Project. The Indian industry and NSIL India will now produce SSLVs for commercial missions.

According to ISRO, the six-and-a-half-hour countdown started at 2:47 am, leading to the SSLV-D3/EOS-08 mission's third and final developmental flight. Designed for a one-year mission, EOS-08 aims to develop a microsatellite, create payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporate new technologies for future satellites.

Built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, EOS-08 carries three payloads: the Electro-Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry Payload (GNSS-R), and the SiC UV Dosimeter. These payloads will capture day and night images, assess ocean surface winds, evaluate soil moisture, monitor environmental disasters, and much more. The satellite operates in Circular Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 475 km altitude with a one-year mission life, weighing around 175.5 kg and generating 420 W of power. EOS-08 includes cutting-edge systems for data storage and onboard technology demonstration.

(With inputs from agencies.)