ISRO's Cryogenic Stage Re-Entry: A Step Towards Safe Space Operations

ISRO announced the successful re-entry of the cryogenic upper stage of the LVM3 M3/OneWeb India-2 mission into Earth's atmosphere. The rocket body, launched on March 26, 2023, was left at a 450 km orbit. The re-entry aligns with international space debris mitigation guidelines and India's DFSM initiative.

In a significant achievement, ISRO confirmed the re-entry of the cryogenic upper stage of the LVM3 M3/OneWeb India-2 mission into Earth's atmosphere.

The nearly 3-ton rocket body was placed in orbit at 450 km altitude after launching 36 OneWeb satellites on March 26, 2023, said the space agency.

This milestone marks the sixth consecutive successful flight of the LVM3 vehicle, demonstrating ISRO's expertise in space operations.

ISRO ensured the upper stage was passivated by depleting excess fuel to minimize potential accidental break-ups.

The estimated re-entry occurred within a specified window, most likely impacting the Indian Ocean, ISRO reported.

ISRO highlighted that only high-melting-point elements like gas bottles, nozzles, and tanks were expected to survive aerothermal heating during the re-entry.

The agency monitored the object via its Multi-object Tracking Radar (MOTR) in Sriharikota and utilized tracking data for re-entry predictions.

The operation was overseen by ISRO's IS4OM facility and ISTRAC.

The rocket body naturally decayed within two years, complying with UN space debris mitigation and India's DFSM guidelines.

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