Isro has redesignated the GSLV-MkIII as LVM-3, as the missile will not place the satellites in geosynchronous orbit, but in low Earth orbit.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Oct 15 2022 20:22 IST
The Launch Vehicle mark-3 is moved to the launch pad. (Photo: NASA)
By India Today Web Desk: The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) has finally rolled out the Launch Vehicle Mark-III on the platform for the launch of the OneWeb satellite constellation. The launch is scheduled for October 23 at 12:07 PM from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
Isro has redesignated the GSLV-MkIII as LVM-3, as the missile will not place the satellites in geosynchronous orbit, but in low Earth orbit. The launch is part of two launch service contracts with M/s Network Access Associated Limited (M/s OneWeb) to launch the satellites.
The deal was signed between OneWeb and India’s New Space India Limited (NSIL) after Russia refused launch services to the United Kingdom due to sanctions imposed by Western countries following its invasion of Ukraine. The Soyuz rocket was deployed at launch at the Russian-operated Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, as the Russian space agency made demands on the British government to launch the satellite.
The demands include a guarantee that OneWeb satellites will not be used for military purposes and that the UK government will withdraw as shareholder of OneWeb.
OneWeb has since partnered not only with the Indian space agency, but also with its rival SpaceX for launch services.
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The satellites arrived in India late last month and their integration is underway. The company said in a release that with this launch, OneWeb will have more than 70 percent of its planned Gen 1 Low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation in orbit as it progresses to high-speed, low-Earth orbit around the world. latency connectivity services .
“It is the first LVM3 special on-demand commercial launch through NSIL. This contract with M/s OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO as LVM3 enters the global commercial launch services market,” said Isro.
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