SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a successful launch on Saturday, placing the Insat-3DS, a third-generation weather satellite, into orbit. This satellite is poised to enhance meteorological services and elevate the accuracy of weather forecasts across the nation. The GSLV-F14 carrying Insat-3DS embarked on its journey from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 5:35 pm. Approximately 18 minutes post-liftoff, the three-stage rocket delivered the weather satellite into a 253 km geosynchronous transfer orbit. ISRO chairman S Somanath expressed satisfaction with the achievement, stating that the launch vehicle had attained a highly favorable orbit. He further emphasized that the success of GSLV instills confidence for upcoming missions, including the NISAR (NASA-ISRO SAR) launch. The Insat-3DS satellite represents a significant advancement in third-generation meteorological satellites from geostationary orbit. It will complement the meteorological services provided by the currently operational Insat-3D and Insat-3DR satellites. Designed exclusively for enhanced meteorological observations, the satellite will monitor land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning purposes. The satellite payloads include a six-channel imager, a 19-channel sounder, a data relay transponder, and a satellite-aided search and rescue transponder. These payloads will facilitate the generation of critical geophysical parameters essential for studying the atmosphere, land, and ocean, including sea and land surface temperatures, cloud properties, precipitation, and more. Data collected by the satellite will be utilized by various departments under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, including the India Meteorological Department, National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS). This will lead to improved weather forecasts and meteorological services, funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Reflecting on the successful launch, mission director Tomy Joseph likened the evolution of GSLV to that of a disciplined boy, signifying its reliability akin to the PSLV. V Narayanan, director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, highlighted the incremental improvements made in GSLV’s performance over time, resulting in increased payload capability. M Sankaran, director of the U R Rao Satellite Centre, lauded the launch vehicle’s flawless performance, which extended the spacecraft’s operational life by an additional three months.