ISRO’s
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its forty second flight, successfully
launched the 710 kg Cartosat-2 Series Remote Sensing Satellite along
with 30 co-passenger satellites today (January 12,
2018) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR,
Sriharikota. This flight is designated as PSLV-C40.
The
lift-off of PSLV-C40 occurred at 0929 hrs (9:29 am) IST from the First Launch
Pad. After a flight lasting 16 minutes 37 seconds, the satellites
achieved the polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 503 km inclined at an angle
of 97.55 degree to the equator. In the succeeding seven minutes, Cartosat-2
series satellite, INS-1C and 28 customer satellites successfully separated from
the PSLV in a predetermined sequence. The fourth stage of PSLV-C40 fired twice
for short durations to achieve a polar orbit of 365 km height in which India’s
Microsat successfully separated.
After
separation, the two solar arrays of Cartosat-2 series satellite deployed
automatically and ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bengaluru
took over the control of the satellite. In the coming days, the satellite will
be brought to its final operational configuration following which it will begin
to provide remote sensing data using its panchromatic (black and white) and
multispectral (colour) cameras.
The
11 kg INS-1C and the 100 kg class Microsat, the two Indian co-passenger
satellites of Cartosat-2, are also being monitored and controlled from ISTRAC,
Bengaluru. The 28 international customer satellites belong to Canada,
Finland, France, Republic of Korea, UK and the USA.
So
far, PSLV has successfully launched 51 Indian satellites and 237 customer
satellites from abroad.
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