Bangalore: In another significant milestone in India's pursuit to make its space programme self-reliant, space scientists are now planning the second test-flight of India's ambitious Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) on May 9.

Sources in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that the date has been fixed for the launch of GSAT-2, the second technology experiment satellite, on board GSLV-D2.

The proposed event at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at spaceport of Sriharikota comes more than two years after the first test-flight of GSAT-1, flown by GSLV-D1 on April 18, 2001.

GSAT-1 was used to validate several technologies like Fast Recovery Star Sensor, a new Earth sensor using pyro-electric detectors and an orbit-raising strategy.

GSAT-2 will carry four C-band, two Ku-band India beam transponders and one MSS (Mobile Satellite Service) payload, ISRO officials said.

It would also carry instruments to conduct experiments like total radiation dose monitor, surface charge potential monitor, coherent radio beacon experiment and solar X-ray spectrometer.

PTI