Chennai: In a historic moment, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the 200th consecutive Sounding Rocket RH-200.
ISRO sources today said the 200th consecutive successful flight of RH200 took off at
11.55 AM from TERLS Launch pad yesterday.
The historic momenet was witnessed by Former President Ram Nath Kovind, in the
presence of ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space Dr.S.Somanath
when RH200 – the versatile sounding rocket of ISRO, registered its 200th consecutive
successful launch from the shores of Thumba at TERLS marking the celebrations
200@200.
Addressing the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) community, Ram Nath Kovind
recalled the significant contributions of the pioneers in Indian Space Research including
that of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Prof Satish Dhawan and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
He said “at this RH200 historic moment the entire nation is proud of the R&D community
of our country. November happens to be an important month for Indian rocketry. It was on
November 21, 1963 that the first Sounding Rocket was launched from Indian soil”, he said.
Somanath, who spoke on the occasion, said that rocketry is a serious task.
The private launch of a small rocket that was undertaken recently emulated an effort
demonstrated in the late 1960s by ISRO. “There is a long way to go and each step is
to be taken with due diligence”, he added.
Later, the former President visited the Space Museum and Control Centre and witnessed
the 200th consecutive successful flight of RH200.
Indian sounding rockets are used as privileged tools for the scientific community for carrying out experiments on meteorology, astronomy and similar branches of Space Physics.
Campaigns such as Equatorial ElectroJet (EEJ), Leonid Meteor Shower (LMS), Indian
Middle Atmosphere Programme (IMAP), Monsoon Experiment (MONEX), Middle Atmosphere
Dynamics (MIDAS), Sooryagrahan-2010, etc. have been conducted using the sounding
rocket platform for scientific exploration of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The RSR series of rockets have been the forerunners for ISROs heavier and more complex launch vehicles, with a continued usage even today for atmospheric and meteorological studies. They are an indispensible part of our Space Programme, which has become every Indian’s hope and pride.
The 200th consecutive successful flight stands testimony to the commitment of Indian rocket scientists towards unmatched reliability demonstrated over the years.
