Context
- Recently the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle- Mark III-M1 (GSLV Mark III-M1) vehicle used for launching Chandrayaan-2 had successfully placed the satellite in the Earth Parking Orbit (EPO).
About GSLV Mark III
a) It is a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by Indian Space Research Organisation.
b) The vehicle has two solid strap-on, a core liquid booster, and a cryogenic upper stage.
c) It is designed to carry heavy tonnes class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) up to 600 KMs
d) Use of GSLV Mark III- M1 in the recent Chandrayaan- 2 have helped to save the fuel and number of manoeuvres or stages in the mission.
About Earth Parking Orbit
a) It is a temporary orbit used during the launch of a satellite or other space probe.
b) A launch vehicle boosts into the parking orbit, then rests for a while, then fires again to enter the final desired trajectory.
c) Use of a parking orbit requires a rocket upper stage to perform the injection burn while under zero-gravity conditions.
Source- The Hindu and NASA website