SSLV-D1 mission update: ISRO says satellite no longer usable, issue 'reasonably identified'

SSLV-D1/EOS-02 mission suffered 'data loss' in terminal stage (Image: Twitter/@ISRO)

Hours after SSLV-D1/EOS-02 -- the maiden small satellite launch vehicle mission -- suffered a setback on August 7, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the "satellite is no longer usable".

The space agency, in an update shared on its social media handle, said it has "reasonably identified" the issue which led to the unsuccessful execution of the inaugural SSLV-D1 mission.

"SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit," ISRO said.

"Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation," it further tweeted.

The agency noted that a committee will be formed to analyse the SSLV-D1 mission and recommend measures which should to be enacted. "With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2," it added.

(2/2) caused the deviation. A committee would analyse and recommend. With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2.
A detailed statement by Chairman, ISRO will be uploaded soon.

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— ISRO (@isro) August 7, 2022

At the end of a seven-and-a-half-hour countdown, the 34-metre SSLV soared at 9:18 am amid cloudy skies to place the satellites into the intended orbit.

The SSLV was carrying earth observation satellite EOS-02 and a student satellite AzaadiSAT, built by girls students from rural India. The mission was aimed at garnering a larger pie in the small launch vehicles market, as it could have placed the satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

The LEO, according to the European Space Agency, is normally at an altitude of less than 1,000 km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth. It is the orbit most commonly used for satellite imaging, as being near the surface, it allows images of higher resolution.

With PTI inputs