India's PSLV-C50 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket, carrying the CMS-01 communication satellite, lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota at 3:41 pm on Thursday, 17 December, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan in his statement said that PSLV-C50 has successfully injected CMS01 communication satellite precisely in predefined orbit. The Satellite is functioning very well & will be placed in a specified slot in another four days, he added.
CMS-01, India's 42nd communication satellite, with a life span of seven years, is envisaged for providing services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum, which will include the Indian mainland, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, reported IANS.
The CMS-01 will be a replacement for GSAT-12 that weighed 1,410 kg and was launched on 11 July 2011 with a mission life of eight years, it was further reported.
ISRO has recently started giving generic names to its satellites. Earlier, the earth observation satellites were called EOS and now the communication satellites are being named as CMS.
CMS-01 is the first communication satellite that ISRO has sent up under its new naming scheme.
PSLV-C50’s 22nd Successful Flight in 'XL' Configuration
The 44-metre-high four staged/engine PSLV-C50 is the 22nd flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration. The rocket weighs 320 tonne.
As per IANS, the PSLV in normal configuration is a four stage/engine expendable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively with six booster motors strapped on to the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments.
The Indian space agency has PSLV variants with two and four strap-on motors, larger PSLV-XL and the Core Alone variant without any strap-on motors.
(With inputs from IANS.)
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