India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launched the Cartosat-2 series satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites and successfully put them into orbit, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. The satellites were launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday at 9:29 am.
Watch the launch here:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on the successful launch:
Addressing the media, ISRO chairperson AS Kiran Kumar remarked:
PSLV is emerging as a credible launch vehicle for anybody across the globe... With each PSLV launch, we are trying to improve our capability in one new area.AS Kiran Kumar, ISRO chairperson
PSLV-C38 launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation and 30 co-passenger satellites together, weighing about 243 kg at lift-off, into a 505-km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit, ISRO said.
The 28-hour countdown for the launch began at 5:29 am yesterday.
The co-passenger satellites comprise 29 nano satellites from 14 countries – Austria, Belgium, Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, besides a nano satellite from India.
This is the 40th flight of PSLV and 17th flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with the use of solid strap-on motors).
The space agency also said the 29 international customer Nano satellites are being launched as part of the commercial arrangements between Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), the commercial arm of ISRO, and International customers.
Cartosat-2 is a remote sensing satellite and it is similar in configuration to earlier satellites in the series with the objective of providing high-resolution scene specific spot imagery.
This is the launch of the third spacecraft in Cartosat-2 series – a dedicated satellite for defence forces. It has a resolution of 0.6 metres, which means it can spot even small objects.
Defence surveillance will get a leg-up. It can be used in identifying terrorist camps and bunkers... some formations.ISRO official
Once this satellite becomes operational, it would be "handed over" to the defence forces, which have their own "set up," including ground-stations and trained manpower to access data.
ISRO Mission Special For Tamil Nadu
The ISRO mission is special for Tamil Nadu as it carries a satellite indigenously developed by students of a university in Kanyakumari district.
NIUSAT satellite, developed by Noorul Islam University in Kanyakumari district, rode piggyback with the 29 other satellites of various countries.
The satellite is built to provide multi-spectral imagery for agricultural crop monitoring and disaster management support applications, ISRO said in a release.
Noorul Islam University's director (Academic Affairs) A Shajin Nargunam told PTI that the concept was developed following the December 2004 tsunami which struck Tamil Nadu, wreaking havoc mostly in the coastal areas.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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