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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday, 24 January, successfully launched the PSLV-C44 mission, carrying Microsat-R, a military satellite, and Kalamsat, a students' payload, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
In the first mission for the ISRO in 2019, its workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) blasted off from the first launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 11:37 pm at the end of a 28-hour countdown.
In a textbook launch, the 44-metre tall, four-stage PSLV-C44 soared into the sky and injected the 740-kg Microsat-R into orbit precisely 13 minutes and 30 seconds later. The Microsat-R was released in a 274-km polar sun synchronous orbit, reported PTI.
ISRO scientists broke into celebration at the mission control centre in Sriharikota, about 130 km from Chennai, as the Microsat-R was released in a 274-km polar sun synchronous orbit, marking another success story for the space agency.
Former ISRO chairmans- Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan and AS Kiran Kumar- were among those who witnessed the launch, PTI reported.
ISRO is Open to All Students of India: ISRO Chief
Contributed by college students and members of a Chennai-based organisation – Space Kidz India – Kalamsat is the first to use PS4 (fourth stage of the vehicle), which would now be moved to a higher circular orbit, around 450 km from Earth, so as to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments.
The ISRO said it would take about 90 minutes for the fourth stage to reach the desired orbit, PTI reported.
Speaking on the successful launch of the mission, ISRO chief K Sivan told ANI:
“ISRO is open to all students of India. Bring to us your satellites and we will launch it for you. Let’s make India into a science-fairing nation.”ISRO Chief K Sivan to ANI
Lightest Satellite to be Launched by India
Built at a cost of around Rs 12 lakh, the Kalamsat is an experimental satellite for studying the communication system of nano satellites, which can be useful in many fields, predominantly disaster management.
“We have been working on the project for over six years now. These students are from various backgrounds and the youngest one is studying BSc Physics.”Space Kidz India CEO Srimathy Kesan to PTI
Kesan said Kalamsat was the lightest ever satellite to be launched by India.
Heartiest Congratulations to ISRO Scientists: PM Modi
Hours after the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday early morning, 25 January, congratulated scientists of ISRO for the launch of PSLV. Lauding the students from Space Kidz India for their contribution, he added that with this launch, India became the “first country to use the fourth stage of a space rocket as an orbital platform for microgravity experiments”.
The PSLV-C44, assembled in 30 days, was the first mission of a new variant of the PSLV, called the PSLV-DL, as it was equipped with two strap-on configurations, PTI further reported, citing the space agency.
With this, the PSLV, basically a four-stage vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages, has launched 54 Indian and 269 satellites of international customers.
In its last mission, on 29 November 2018, the ISRO successfully injected India's earth observation satellite HysIS onboard PSLV C43 into its designated orbit.
Following is the launch kit for the PSLV–C44:
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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