ISRO completes EOS-05 orbit raising with 1,247-second engine burn

(SpaceEnergy) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed EOS-05’s three-stage orbit-raising campaign after a final 1,247-second Liquid Apogee Motor burn.

The third and final manoeuvre was completed at 20:57 Indian Standard Time on 7 September, raising the spacecraft’s perigee and leaving EOS-05 in an estimated 34,903km by 35,884km orbit. ISRO said the satellite remained healthy.

EOS-05 began its orbit-raising sequence on 5 September with a 5,406.4-second Liquid Apogee Motor firing, which placed the spacecraft in an estimated 20,000km by 31,129km orbit. ISRO said the series was intended to place EOS-05 in geosynchronous orbit at the 85.5°E orbital slot.

A second firing on 6 September lasted 338.9 seconds and raised the spacecraft’s estimated apogee to 35,786km.

ISRO’s 440N Liquid Apogee Motor is a bipropellant spacecraft engine developed for orbit-raising operations and has also been used for orbital-transfer and capture manoeuvres on Indian lunar and Mars missions.