Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) lifted off successfully with two British satellites, NovaSAR and S1-4, from the rocket port at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
The PSLV-CA (Core Alone) version, standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 230.4 tonnes, with thick orange flame at its tail lighting up the night skies rose up at 10.08 pm from the first launch pad.
The rocketport at the space centre in Sriharikota has two launch pads.
The PSLV injected the satellites into orbit 17 minutes and 45 seconds after lift off and placed them in a sun synchronous orbit 583 km from the earth.
After the successful launch, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said: “The PSLV rocket preciously placed two of our customer satellites in 583 km orbit. The success will give added energy for industry to make PSLV.”
NovaSAR weighing 445 kg is a S-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite intended for forest mapping, land use and ice cover monitoring, flood and disaster monitoring.
S1-4 weighing 444 kg is a high resolution Optical Earth Observation Satellite, used for surveying resources, environment monitoring, urban management and for disaster monitoring.
Two satellites aboard the PSLV belong to Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL), UK, and is carried under commercial arrangement with Antrix Corp Ltd - the commercial arm of ISRO.
PM Congratulates ISRO Scientists
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to congratulate the ISRO scientists after the successful launch.
(With inputs from IANS)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)