India’s Heavy Rocket ‘Bahubali’ Gearing Up For Moon

Chennai: India’s heavy lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - Mark III (GSLV Mk III), nicknamed as ‘Bahubali’, and its passenger Chandrayaan-2 were being readied up for their historic flight to the Moon on July 15, said space agency officials. “Preparations are going at a hectic pace at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota for the July 15 early morning launch at 2.51 a.m. Everything is progressing normally,” said an official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). About 16 minutes into its flight, the Rs 375 crore GSLV Mk III rocket will put into orbit the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.

While ISRO officials call the 640-tonne GSLV Mk III rocket as ‘fat boy’, the Telugu media nicknamed it ‘Bahubali’, as like the hero in the successful film lifts a heavy Lingam, the rocket will carry the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft. According to the ISRO, the Chandrayaan-2 will be injected into an Earth parking 170x40400 km orbit. The Rs 603 crore Chandrayaan-2 consists of three segments - the Orbiter, the lander-Vikram and rover Pragyaan. (IANS)

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