After a disappointing end to Britain’s satellite launch on Tuesday morning, Indian businessman Anand Mahindra has praised ISRO. The Mahindra Group chairman took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to highlight the Indian Space Research Organisation’s launch record.
“I agree that this was a very different type of orbital launch, but it still tells me how much more we should appreciate and admire the launch record ISRO,” tweeted the billionaire businessman in response to a news update about the launch of Britain’s first rocket carrying satellites into space.
The country’s attempt to become the first European country to launch satellites into space failed on Tuesday, with Virgin Orbit saying its rocket had an anomaly that prevented it from reaching orbit.
The “horizontal launch” mission took off from the coastal town of Newquay in the south-west Englandwith their LauncherOne rocket carried under the wing of a modified boeing The 747 is called the “Cosmic Girl”, and is later released over the Atlantic Ocean. After the disturbance, Cosmic Girl returned to Spaceport Cornwall with the crew.
The company, partly owned by British billionaire Richard Branson, had planned to deploy nine small satellites into low Earth orbit in its first mission outside its United States base.
Europe has suffered a series of setbacks over the past year, with an Italian-made Vega-C rocket mission failing after taking off from French Guiana in late December. Its flagship Ariane 6 launcher has been delayed, the Ukraine war has blocked access to Russian Soyuz rockets and Italy’s Vega rockets have been grounded.
Meanwhile, the Indian space agency has several projects scheduled for 2023. ISRO is planning a second Vikas Mall Satellite Launch Vehicle flight next month after the unsuccessful bid in August last year. The space agency will also test the satellite-based Automatic Dependent Monitoring-Broadcast Receiver System on SSLV.
The SSLV flight is likely to be conducted next month, and if successful, will allow ISRO to provide on-demand launch services for small satellites weighing 10 kg to 500 kg.
India is also planning scientific missions Mars planet and Venus in addition to attempting a Land Rover on the Moon sometime this year.
(with inputs from agencies)
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