New Delhi: India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C52 injected Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04, into an intended sun synchronous polar orbit of 529 km altitude at 06:17 hours IST today from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota.
PSLV lifted off at 05:59 hours IST from the first launch pad at SHAR. This was the 80th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota; 54th flight of PSLV; and the 23rd flight of PSLV in XL configuration (6 strap-on motors).
The satellite EOS-04 is realised at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. It is a Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry and Plantations, Soil Moisture and Hydrology and Flood mapping. Weighing about 1710 kg, it generates 2280 W power and has a mission life of 10 years.
The vehicle also placed two small satellites a student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in association with Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics at University of Colorado, Boulder and a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS- 2B). Co-passenger satellites were successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian space scientists on the successful launch of PSLV C52 mission. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said: “Congratulations to our space scientists on the successful launch of PSLV C52 mission. EOS-04 satellite will provide high resolution images under all weather conditions for agriculture, forestry and plantations, soil moisture and hydrology as well as flood mapping.”
ISRO Chairman S Somanath congratulated team ISRO for the precision with which the mission was accomplished.
– global bihari bureau
