31 Oct 2022 Science behind heavy rockets
Source: The Indian Express
News: LVM3 M2/OneWeb India-1 mission of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) carried almost 6 tonnes payload into lower-earth orbit, highest of any ISRO mission.
Features of some rockets:
- LMV3 rocket: It has a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes. In lower earth orbits or LEO (200 km from the Earth’s surface ) it can carry merely 8 tonnes. Further in geostationary transfer orbits or GTO ( about 35,000 km from Earth) it can carry only about 4 tonnes. Additional thrust during liftoff (a liquid stage, and a cryogenic stage) is provided by solid fuels in the boosters in LMV3 rockets.
- Ariane 5 rockets: These rockets are frequently used by ISRO for its heavy payloads. Ariane 5 rockets can carry 20-tonne payloads to lower earth orbits and 10 tonnes to GTO. These rockets have a lift-off mass of 780 tonnes.
- Falcon Heavy rockets from SpaceX: It is the most powerful modern launch vehicle, weighing over 1,400 tonnes at launch time and can carry payloads of about 60 tonnes.
Operational launch vehicles of India:
- Multiple versions of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV: It is the most commonly used launch vehicle. Since 1993, it has carried 53 successful missions and failed twice.
- Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle or GSLV Mk-II: ISRO carried 14 missions through GSLV-MkII rocket of which four have ended in failures.
- Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or LVM3: Success rate of LVM3 in its five missions(including the Chandrayaan 2 mission) is 100 percent .
- ISRO is developing a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) that can be brought back and refurbished for multiple use. It can prevent space pollution as RLV would not end up in space as waste.
Need for Heavier rockets:
- Indigenously developed heavier rockets can carry heavier payloads, or venture much deeper into space.
- Heavier rockets like the LVM3 rocket can accommodate the change in engines and fuel required for deeper space missions.
- Reduce the inefficiency of space missions: Space journey consists of tremendous gravitational resistance.
- To overcome “tyranny of the rocket equation”.
Relevance of LVM3 M2/OneWeb mission:
- Success of the flight validated the LVM3 rocket, ISRO’s most important missions like the Gaganyaan.
- Launch of LVM3 M2/OneWeb mission affirmed ISRO’s claim as a serious player in the heavy satellite launch market.
- LVM3 rocket (earlier GSLV Mk-III ) will end the dependence of ISRO on Ariane rockets of Europe for launching heavy satellites.
- India can confidently stride into its ambitious space programmes manned missions, Moon landings and deep space explorations
Way forward for future missions:
- Manufacturing rockets that can make multiple trips and its components of larger structures can be assembled in space like the International Space Station.
Article: The heaviness of rockets, why it matters in space flight
Article Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/isro-oneweb-mission-satellite-rockets-8229773/
Yojna IAS daily current affairs eng med 31th Oct
No Comments