PSLV-C-15, Four Satellites Launched from Sriharikota
India has launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C-15) carrying remote sensing Cartosat-2B along with four satellites from the spaceport near Sirharikota today morning, said media reports.
According to reports, the four-stage 44.4 metre tall PSLV-C-15 lifted off at the end of a 51-hour countdown from the Satish Dhawan space centre at 9.22 AM.
The rocket soared into skies in clear weather leaving behind plumes of smoke and will place four satellites into orbit, reports said.
The four satellites include Alsat from Algeria, two nano satellites from Canada and Switzerland, and a pico (very small) satellite Studsat built by seven engineering students of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The countdown started on Saturday morning for the launch of the 44-metre tall, 230-tonne PSLV.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has carried out multiple launches for many years now and it set a world record in 2008 by launching 10 satellites simultaneously.
Cartosat-2B, built in last five years at Rs 200 crore, is country’s 17th remote sensing satellite and is meant to augment ISRO’s remote sensing data services along with two other satellites, Cartosat-2 and 2A launched earlier.
The satellites’ imagery can be used for preparing detailed forest type maps, tree volume estimation, village/cadastral level crop inventory, town/village settlement mapping and planning for development, rural connectivity, canal alignment, coastal land form, mining monitoring and others.
“With the launch of Cartosat-2B, ISRO will have 10 remote sensing satellites in orbit – IRS 1D, Resourcesat 1, TES, Cartosat 1, 2 and 2A, IMS 1, RISAT-2, Oceansat 1 and 2,” Satish, the director for publications and public relations, was quoted as saying.
India is a world leader in the remote sensing data market, earning a sizeable amount.
“The other remote sensing satellites that are slated for launch are RISAT (end of 2010 or early 2011), Resourcesat and Megha-Tropiques,” he was quoted as saying.
(Based on internet reports)
