Sounding Rocket: Why in News?
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently launched a sounding rocket called RH-560. Know what the sounding rockets are and what are the facts associated with it.
Launch of sounding rocket (RH-560) to study attitudinal variations in the neutral winds and plasma dynamics carried out today at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota#RohiniSoundingRockets #ISRO pic.twitter.com/B0ov8w5ARH
— ISRO (@isro) March 12, 2021
What is the purpose of RH 560 Rocket?
It has been launched to study attitudinal variations in the neutral winds and plasma dynamics. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
As per ISRO, "Launch of sounding rocket (RH-560) to study attitudinal variations in the neutral winds and plasma dynamics carried out today at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.”
It was launched on March 12, 2021.
"They also serve as easily affordable platforms to test or prove prototypes of new components or subsystems intended for use in launch vehicles and satellites...ISRO started launching indigenously made sounding rockets from 1965 and experience gained was of immense value in the mastering of solid propellant technology," said ISRO
What is a Sounding Rocket?
It is also called a research rocket or rocketsonde. The sounding rockets are one or two stage solid propellant rockets used to study upper atmospheric regions and for space research.
They serve as easily affordable platforms that test prototypes of new components or subsystems intended for use in launch vehicles and satellites.
The sounding rockets generally stay between 40 km and 160 kilometres in the atmosphere. The range is such because the weather balloons have to stay within 40 kilometres and the Space rockets. The rockets are placed above it. In case the Sounding rockets go above 160 km, they may burst.
About India's first sounding rocket
ISRO began with the launch of indigenously built sounding rockets from 1965. Its experience gained was valuable in gaining excellence in the solid propellant technology.
In 1975, all sounding rocket activities were cluttered under the Rohini Sounding Rocket (RSR) Programme. RH-75, with a diameter of 75 mm was the first truly Indian sounding rocket, which was followed by RH-100 and RH-125 rockets. The series of sounding rockets are called Rohini series with RH 200, RH 300 and RH 560 being the most important among them. The numbers along with the name acronym stands for the diameter of the rocket in milimetres.
Take a look at the table informing about the recent rocket details:
| Vehicle | RH-200 | RH-300-Mk-II | RH-560-MK-II |
| Payload (in kg) | 10 | 60 | 100 |
| Altitude (in km) | 80 | 160 | 470 |
| Purpose | Meterology | Aeronomy | Aeronomy |
| Launch Pad | Thumba Balasore | SDSC-SHAR | SDSC-SHAR |
The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station was established on 21st November 1963 and was operated by ISRP. Its southern tip is close to earth's magnetic equator. It marked the beginning of Indian Space Programme and was the bedrock of the launch vehicles built.
Before the indegenious efforts the first rockets were two-stage rockets imported from Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure). At that time M-100 was able to carry a payload of 70 kg to an altitude of 85 km, the Centaure was capable of reaching 150 km with a payload of approximately 30 kg.
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