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India launches 'monster' rocket | India launches 'monster' rocket |
(1 day later) | |
India's space agency has successfully launched its heaviest rocket. | India's space agency has successfully launched its heaviest rocket. |
The 640-tonne rocket blasted off from a launching site off the Bay of Bengal in Sriharikota. | The 640-tonne rocket blasted off from a launching site off the Bay of Bengal in Sriharikota. |
As one website put it, "it's been a big day for India". The rocket will reduce the Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) reliance on European vehicles to launch heavy satellites. | As one website put it, "it's been a big day for India". The rocket will reduce the Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) reliance on European vehicles to launch heavy satellites. |
The coverage of the launch has been euphoric, and often colourful, with websites comparing the rocket to the weight of 200 elephants, or five jumbo jets. | The coverage of the launch has been euphoric, and often colourful, with websites comparing the rocket to the weight of 200 elephants, or five jumbo jets. |
'200 elephants' | '200 elephants' |
Such comparisons highlight the importance of the launch for the country, which is aggressively competing to get a bigger share of the global commercial satellite launch market. | Such comparisons highlight the importance of the launch for the country, which is aggressively competing to get a bigger share of the global commercial satellite launch market. |
India has so far relied on other countries to send heavy satellites into space, which is expensive and a drain on Isro's budget. | India has so far relied on other countries to send heavy satellites into space, which is expensive and a drain on Isro's budget. |
The GSLV Mark III can carry put a payload weighing more than three tonnes into the high altitude orbit occupied by the spacecraft that relay TV, telephone calls and broadband connections. | The GSLV Mark III can carry put a payload weighing more than three tonnes into the high altitude orbit occupied by the spacecraft that relay TV, telephone calls and broadband connections. |
But it's far from being the world's heaviest rocket because Nasa's Saturn V, which was used between 1967 and 1973, still holds that record, with total mass at lift-off about four times that of India's GSLV Mark III. | But it's far from being the world's heaviest rocket because Nasa's Saturn V, which was used between 1967 and 1973, still holds that record, with total mass at lift-off about four times that of India's GSLV Mark III. |
'Jumbo jets' | 'Jumbo jets' |
The NDTV website says the rocket is as heavy as five Jumbo jets. And the weight matters because communication satellites are quite heavy. | The NDTV website says the rocket is as heavy as five Jumbo jets. And the weight matters because communication satellites are quite heavy. |
Experts say the rocket gives India more flexibility in launching different kinds of satellites. | Experts say the rocket gives India more flexibility in launching different kinds of satellites. |
"We were able to send [satellites weighing] up to two tonnes previously. This is a double quantum jump for India," Ajay Lele from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told the AFP news agency. | "We were able to send [satellites weighing] up to two tonnes previously. This is a double quantum jump for India," Ajay Lele from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told the AFP news agency. |
'The monster' | 'The monster' |
Isro hopes that the rocket, called the "monster" by one newspaper, will be able to carry an astronaut to space by 2024. | Isro hopes that the rocket, called the "monster" by one newspaper, will be able to carry an astronaut to space by 2024. |
India wants to become the fourth country after the US, China and Russia to send a person into space. | India wants to become the fourth country after the US, China and Russia to send a person into space. |
Experts say the successful launch will give impetus to India's indigenous space programme. | Experts say the successful launch will give impetus to India's indigenous space programme. |
The launch follows Isro's other recent achievements, including a mission to Mars, and the launch of more than 100 satellites in a single mission earlier in the year. | |
Taller than Statue of Liberty | Taller than Statue of Liberty |
In the spirit of finding fun facts, the BBC also did some research on the height of the rocket and found that it's taller than the Statue of Liberty. | In the spirit of finding fun facts, the BBC also did some research on the height of the rocket and found that it's taller than the Statue of Liberty. |
The rocket is 43m (141ft) tall, while the statue stands at 33.83m, minus the pedestal foundation. | The rocket is 43m (141ft) tall, while the statue stands at 33.83m, minus the pedestal foundation. |
Cartoons by the BBC's Kirtish Bhat | Cartoons by the BBC's Kirtish Bhat |