With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicle, consider the following statements:
- PSLVs launch satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
- Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
- GSLV MK III is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors, and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 2
- 3 only
Explanation
- Currently operational launch vehicles:
- PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
- GSLV: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
- LVM3: Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (also known as GSLV Mk III)
- SSLV: Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
Statement 1 is correct
- The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) primarily launches satellites for Earth observation and resource monitoring, while the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) was mainly designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbits.
Statement 2 is incorrect
- Satellites launched by PSLV are usually placed in polar or sun-synchronous orbits, which are not geosynchronous. Therefore, as seen from a particular location on Earth, these satellites appear to move across the sky rather than remain fixed in one position.
Statement 3 is incorrect
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has renamed the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark -III as Launch Vehicle Mark-III, mainly to identify its task of placing satellites into a variety of orbits. LVM3 is configured as a three stage vehicle with two solid strap-on motors (S200), one liquid core stage (L110) and a high thrust cryogenic upper stage (C25).
