Chandrayaan-2 to be GSLV MkIII’s first operational mission : Sivan

Sriharikotta, November 14:

Minutes after the second developmental flight of GSLV MkIII-D2 successfully placed the GSAT-29 communication satellite, ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan on Tuesday said the India’s heaviest launch vehicle completed the developmental stage and the first operational mission would be Chandrayaan-2 in January 2019, which would take place in two months from now.

Addressing scientists from the Mission Control Centre after the successful launch of GSLV MkIII-D2/GSAT-29 in a text book mission, Dr Sivan said with today’s success India has achieved a big milestone in its space programme. ”I am extremely happy to declare that our heaviest launcher of India in its second mission GSLV MkIII-D2 launched the heaviest GSAT-29 satellite from the Indian soil and after its majestic travel of about 16-17 minutes, it precisely injected the satellite into the GTO.

He said this mission was very important for the GSLV MkIII programme as well as the GSAT satellite series, because this was the second successive mission for this heavy lift launcher.

”This clearly showed that the heaviest launcher of India completed its developmental flight stage and entered the operational series stage along with GSLV MkII and and the PSLV”, he added. Dr Sivan said the first operational mission of the GSLV MKIII would be none other than the Chandrayaan-2 mission that would take place in January next year.

”In addition to this, the heaviest launcher will be used for the most challenging manned mission, It will carry human to the space in three years from now…Kudos to this excellent and reliable launcher of India”, he added.