ISRO to launch SARAL on February 14, GSLV in April

ISRO to launch SARAL on February 14, GSLV in April

January 21st, 2013

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch SARAL (Satellite with Argos and Altika) on February 14, 2013. The launch, which was planned for 12-12-12, was deferred due to some technical issues and to carry out additional to improve reliability. Along with Indo-French SARAL, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will put into orbit six small experimental satellites built by western universities for a fee. SARAL would be similar to ISRO’s Oceansat-2, but with an altimeter to measure heights. In October 2012, NASA depended upon Oceansat-2 to get details of Hurricane ‘Sandy’ that brought huge devastation on the eastern U.S.
Forthcoming Launches of ISRO:

• In April 2013, ISRO expects to resume flying the GSLV rocket. The GSLV-D5 will lift the communications satellite GSAT-14 into orbit. GSLV programme was put on hold after it suffered two successive failures in April and December 2010.
• In May 2013, the first of the national navigational satellites or navsats — the IRNSS-1 — is expected to be launched on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. IRNSS or the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System with its seven satellites will be India’s own regional Global Positioning System.
• GSAT-7, a satellite dedicated for the Navy, will be launched around May on a European Ariane rocket.
• INSAT-3D and GSAT-10, will be launched in the second half of this year.