The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its workhouse rocket PSLV-C43 carrying India's earth observation satellite HysIS and 30 other satellites, including 23 from the United States, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Thursday.
Here are more details about the mission and India’s latest earth-imaging satellite:
1. The satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, at 9.58 am on Thursday.
2. Built around the ISRO Mini Satellite-2 (IMS-2) bus, HysIS is 2.158m x 1.386m x 1.121m, and weighs nearly 380kg.
3. The PSLV launcher has a total length of 39.4m and consists of a four-stage rocket.
4. The Indian PSLV CA rocket variant was lifted off with 31 satellites -- the HysIS and 30 foreign satellites.
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5. The total weight of 30 co-passenger satellites is 261.5 kg. And, all these satellites will be placed in a 504 km orbit by PSLV-C43.
6. The satellites were commercially contracted for launch through Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO.
7. The HysIS satellite will take photographs of planet Earth in multiple frequencies with a mission life of over five years.
8. The satellite will provide universal coverage and give valuable data on agriculture, forestry, geological environments, coastal zones, and inland waters.
9. The Indian satellite HysIS was placed in a 636 km polar sun-synchronous orbit.
10. The launch was the 13th successful launch of this PSLV model.
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The Indian Space and Research Organisation had earlier carried out a satellite mission spread over two hours in January.
According to reports, after the completion of this mission, ISRO is all set to launch India's heaviest communications satellite -- the GSAT-11 -- from Kourou in South America on December 5.
