These rockets take far lesser time to assemble and launch, given that they use solid fuel, which is less sophisticated when compared to liquid fuels.
These rockets take far lesser time to assemble and launch, given that they use solid fuel, which is less sophisticated when compared to liquid fuels.
While this is a routine launch, what makes it special is the fact that ISRO’s journey in rocketry began with sounding rockets
While this is a routine launch, what makes it special is the fact that ISRO’s journey in rocketry began with sounding rockets
ISRO has largely been focusing on launching towering rockets like the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) and the SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle). But on Wednesday noon, ISRO’s lead facility Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) launched its 200th consecutive ‘RH-200’ Rohini Sounding rocket. While this is a routine launch, what makes it special is the fact that ISRO’s journey in rocketry began with sounding rockets.
Sounding rockets are small, low-cost, solid-fuelled rockets meant for experimental purposes, meteorology, and atmospheric studies. They are used to probe the earth’s atmosphere or to test newly developed sub-components, before actually flying them on larger rockets or on satellites.
These rockets take far lesser time to assemble and launch, given that they use solid fuel, which is less sophisticated when compared to liquid fuels. Typically, sounding rockets are launched at sub-orbit (lesser than 100 kilometres) in altitude and are not spacefaring rockets. However, there are larger sounding rockets that are also capable of reaching the low earth orbit (550kms altitude)
November 21, 1963, is widely regarded as the beginning of the Indian Space programme, as the maiden launch of the sounding rocket took place from the then Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (now a part of the larger VSSC campus).
Back then, the US-made ‘Nike Apache’ rocket was the first to be launched from Indian soil. Thereafter, two-stage rockets imported from Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure) were also launched.
While M-100 could carry a payload of 70 kg to an altitude of 85 km, the Centaure was capable of reaching 150 km with a payload of approximately 30 kg. In 1970, the Hydrometeorological Services of the USSR signed an agreement with ISRO to launch their meteorological sounding rockets, M-100, every week, from TERLS. This programme continued uninterruptedly till 1993.
In 1967, ISRO started launching a series of indigenous sounding rockets named ‘Rohini’ from TERLS. RH-75, with a diameter of 75mm, was the first truly Indian sounding rocket, which was followed by RH-100 and RH-125 rockets. The sounding rocket programme was indeed the bedrock on which the edifice of launch vehicle technology was built. The experience gained was of immense value in the mastering of the solid propellant technology and allied systems of the launch vehicles. Several scientific missions with national and international participation have been conducted using the Rohini sounding rockets.
At present, India operates three sounding rocket variants —RH-200, RH-300-Mk-II and RH-560-Mk-III. These cover a payload range of 8 to 100 kg and can fly to an altitude of 75-550kms.
Wednesday’s launch marks the 200th consecutive flight of the indigenous RH-200 ‘Rohini’ sounding rocket. The event at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, will take place in the presence of former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, Chairman, ISRO, Dr S Somanath and Director, VSSC, Dr.S.Unnikrishnan Nair and officials from the space agency.
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