The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set for the launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle carrying the Cartosat-2 series satellite, along with 30 co-passenger satellites on Friday morning.
The 28-hour countdown for the PSLV- C38 mission began at 5.29 a.m. on Thursday at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
It will be the 17th flight of the four-stage PSLV in the XL (extended) version with strap-on motors.
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The rocket weighing 320 tonnes at lift-off uses solid propellant for the first and third stage and the strap-ons, while the second and fourth stage use liquid propellant.
30 other satellites
The 31 satellites, together weighing 955 kg, will be lifted into a 505-km polar sun synchronous orbit.
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“This will be the second highest number of satellites to be launched by ISRO using a single rocket”, says PSLV project director B. Jayakumar. In February this year, the PSLV-C37 mission launched 104 satellites into orbit, in a milestone achievement.
The Cartosat-2 earth observation satellite, weighing 712 kg, is the primary payload aboard PSLV-C38 and will be the first to be injected into orbit, 16 minutes from lift-off. The imagery provided by the satellite will be used for cartographic applications, coastal land use and regulation, road network monitoring, water distribution, land use mapping and geographical information system applications.
Cartosat-2 is designed for a lifespan of five years, according to ISRO.
14 countries
The PSLV-C38 payload includes a nano satellite designed and developed by the Noorul Islam University in Kanyakumari district.
The rest of the payload comprises 29 nano satellites from 14 countries — Austria, Belgium, Chile, the Czech republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, United Kingdom and the U.S.
They are being launched as part of the commercial pact between the Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of ISRO, and the international customers.