Launch Vehicle Mark 3

• 10 Jul 2023

Why in News?

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch its Chandrayaan-3 Mission in LVM (Launch Vehicle Mark) 3 on 14^th July 2023.

What are the Launch Vehicles of ISRO?

• ISRO has 3 classes of Launch Vehicles,
  • PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle): It has a famous reputation as a workhorse with a very low failure rate, the PSLV can lift up to 3.8 tonnes of Low Earth Orbit.
  • GSLV (Geostationary Launch Vehicle): ISRO developed and uses the GSLV to launch heavier payloads and if required in higher orbits. Like the PSLV, GSLV also has multiple configurations.
    • The most Powerful configuration is LVM-3.
  • SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle): It is a 3 stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.

What is LVM 3?

• The LVM-3 has 3 stages,
  • The first (or bottom most stage) is in the form of 2 S200 boosters straps to the sides of the rocket body. They combust a solid fuel called hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene,
  • The second stage is powered by Vikas Engines, which combust a liquid fuel, either nitrogen tetroxide or unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.
  • The Uppermost final stage is Powered by a cryogenic engine. It combusts liquified hydrogen with liquified oxygen.
• It can lift upto 8 tonnes in low earth orbit.
• Some of the LVM 3 Missions launched are,
  • OneWeb India-2 Mission
  • OneWeb India-1 Mission
  • Chandrayaan-2 Mission
  • GSAT-29 Mission
  • GSAT-19 Mission
  • CARE Mission

What is the Chandrayaan-3 Mission?

• Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third moon mission and is a follow-up of Chandrayaan-2 of July 2019, which aimed to land a rover on the lunar South Pole.
• The mission is scheduled to be launched later in 2023 by LVM3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
• The subsequent failure of the Vikram lander led to the pursuit of another mission to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission proposed in partnership with Japan for 2024.
• The Mission will have three major modules- the Propulsion module, Lander module and Rover.
• The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit.
• The Lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.

Source: TH