Rohini Sounding Rocket

In Context

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) hopes to achieve a remarkable feat — the 200th successful launch of the Rohini RH-200 sounding rocket in a row.

About

• RH-200 is a two-stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing scientific payloads. 
• It is 3.5-metre-tall and is used by the ISRO for atmospheric studies.
  • The  Rohini RH-200  has completed 198 consecutive successful flights.
  • The 199th launch, from Thumba, will happen on October 7,2022 during the World Space Week celebrations. 
• The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm. 
• The ISRO has launched more than 1,600 RH-200 rockets so far.
• Other operational Rohini variants are RH-300 Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-III.
• Over the years, the rocket has served as a flexible platform for experiments and testing out new technologies.

What is a Sounding Rocket?

• A sounding rocket is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. 
  • The rockets are used to launch instruments from 48 to 145 km above the surface of the Earth.

• The first sounding rocket to be launched from Thumba was the American Nike-Apache – on November 21, 1963. 
• After that, two-stage rockets imported from Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure) were flown. 
• The ISRO launched its own version – Rohini RH-75 – in 1967.

Source:TH