Andrew Yee[_1_]
April 28th 08, 04:13 PM
Indian Space Research Organisation
Bangalore, India
April 28, 2008
PSLV Successfully Launches Ten Satellites
In its thirteenth flight conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)
SHAR, Sriharikota, today (April 28, 2008), ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle, PSLV-C9, successfully launched the 690 kg Indian remote sensing
satellite CARTOSAT-2A, the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) and eight
nanosatellites for international customers into a 637 km polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit (SSO). PSLV-C9 in its 'core alone' configuration launched
ten satellites with a total weight of about 820 kg.
After the final count down, PSLV-C9 lifted off from the second launch pad at
SDSC SHAR, at 09:24 Hrs IST [0354 UTC] with the ignition of the core first
stage. The important flight events included the separation of the first
stage, ignition of the second stage, separation of the heatshield at about
125 km altitude after the vehicle had cleared the dense atmosphere, second
stage separation, third stage ignition, third stage separation, fourth stage
ignition and fourth stage cut-off.
The 690 kg main payload, CARTOSAT-2A, was the first satellite to be injected
into orbit at 885 seconds after lift-off at an altitude of 637 km. About 45
seconds later, Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) was separated after which all
the nano satellites were separated in sequence. The initial signals indicate
normal health of the satellites.
CARTOSAT-2A
CARTOSAT-2A is a state-of-the art remote sensing satellite with a spatial
resolution of about one metre and swath of 9.6 km. The satellite carries a
panchromatic camera (PAN) capable of taking black-and-white pictures in the
visible region of electromagnetic spectrum. The highly agile CARTOSAT-2A is
steerable along as well as across the direction of its movement to
facilitate imaging of any area more frequently.
Soon after separation from PSLV fourth stage, the two solar panels of
CARTOSAT-2A were automatically deployed. The satellite's health is
continuously monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with
the help of ISTRAC network of stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius,
Bearslake in Russia, Biak in Indonesia and Svalbard in Norway.
High-resolution data from CARTOSAT-2A will be invaluable in urban and rural
development applications calling for large scale mapping.
Indian Mini Satellite (IMS -1)
Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1), flown as an auxiliary payload on board
PSLV-C9, is developed by ISRO for remote sensing applications. Weighing 83
Kg at lift-off, IMS-1 incorporates many new technologies and has
miniaturised subsystems. IMS-1 carries two remote sensing payloads - A
Multi-spectral camera (Mx Payload) and a Hyper-spectral camera (HySI
Payload), operating in the visible and near infrared regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The spatial resolution of Mx camera is 37 metre
with a swath of 151 km while that of HySI is about 506 metre with a swath of
about 130 km. The data from this mission will be made available to
interested space agencies and student community from developing countries to
provide necessary impetus to capacity building in using satellite data. The
versatile IMS-1 has been specifically developed to carry different payloads
in future without significant changes in it and has a design life time of
two years.
Nano Satellites for International Customers
Eight Nanosatellites from abroad are carried as auxiliary payloads besides
IMS-1 as well as CARTOSAT-2A. The total weight of these Nanosatellite
payloads is about 50 Kg. Six of the eight Nanosatellites are clustered
together with the collective name NLS-4. The other two nanosatellites are
NLS-5 AND RUBIN-8. NLS-4, developed by University of Toronto, Canada
consists of six nano-satellites developed by various universities. Two of
them -- CUTE 1.7 and SEEDS -- are built in Japan, while the other four --
CAN-X2, AAUSAT-II, COMPASS-1 and DELPHI-C3 are built in Canada, Denmark,
Germany and the Netherlands respectively. NLS-5 is also built by University
of Toronto and RUBIN-8 is built by Cosmos International, Germany. The eight
nanosatellite payloads of PSLV-C9 are built to develop nano technologies for
use in satellites as well as for the development of technologies for
satellite applications.
In its twelve consecutively successful flights so far, PSLV has repeatedly
proved itself as a reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle. It has
demonstrated multiple satellite launch capability having launched a total of
sixteen satellites for international customers besides thirteen Indian
payloads which are for remote sensing, amateur radio communications and
Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1). PSLV was used to launch ISRO's
exclusive meteorological satellite, KALPANA-1, into a Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit (GTO) in September 2002 and thus proved its versatility. The
same vehicle will be used to launch Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first
mission to Moon during this year.
Photo Gallery,
http://www.isro.org/pslv-c9/index.htm
Bangalore, India
April 28, 2008
PSLV Successfully Launches Ten Satellites
In its thirteenth flight conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)
SHAR, Sriharikota, today (April 28, 2008), ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle, PSLV-C9, successfully launched the 690 kg Indian remote sensing
satellite CARTOSAT-2A, the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) and eight
nanosatellites for international customers into a 637 km polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit (SSO). PSLV-C9 in its 'core alone' configuration launched
ten satellites with a total weight of about 820 kg.
After the final count down, PSLV-C9 lifted off from the second launch pad at
SDSC SHAR, at 09:24 Hrs IST [0354 UTC] with the ignition of the core first
stage. The important flight events included the separation of the first
stage, ignition of the second stage, separation of the heatshield at about
125 km altitude after the vehicle had cleared the dense atmosphere, second
stage separation, third stage ignition, third stage separation, fourth stage
ignition and fourth stage cut-off.
The 690 kg main payload, CARTOSAT-2A, was the first satellite to be injected
into orbit at 885 seconds after lift-off at an altitude of 637 km. About 45
seconds later, Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) was separated after which all
the nano satellites were separated in sequence. The initial signals indicate
normal health of the satellites.
CARTOSAT-2A
CARTOSAT-2A is a state-of-the art remote sensing satellite with a spatial
resolution of about one metre and swath of 9.6 km. The satellite carries a
panchromatic camera (PAN) capable of taking black-and-white pictures in the
visible region of electromagnetic spectrum. The highly agile CARTOSAT-2A is
steerable along as well as across the direction of its movement to
facilitate imaging of any area more frequently.
Soon after separation from PSLV fourth stage, the two solar panels of
CARTOSAT-2A were automatically deployed. The satellite's health is
continuously monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with
the help of ISTRAC network of stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius,
Bearslake in Russia, Biak in Indonesia and Svalbard in Norway.
High-resolution data from CARTOSAT-2A will be invaluable in urban and rural
development applications calling for large scale mapping.
Indian Mini Satellite (IMS -1)
Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1), flown as an auxiliary payload on board
PSLV-C9, is developed by ISRO for remote sensing applications. Weighing 83
Kg at lift-off, IMS-1 incorporates many new technologies and has
miniaturised subsystems. IMS-1 carries two remote sensing payloads - A
Multi-spectral camera (Mx Payload) and a Hyper-spectral camera (HySI
Payload), operating in the visible and near infrared regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The spatial resolution of Mx camera is 37 metre
with a swath of 151 km while that of HySI is about 506 metre with a swath of
about 130 km. The data from this mission will be made available to
interested space agencies and student community from developing countries to
provide necessary impetus to capacity building in using satellite data. The
versatile IMS-1 has been specifically developed to carry different payloads
in future without significant changes in it and has a design life time of
two years.
Nano Satellites for International Customers
Eight Nanosatellites from abroad are carried as auxiliary payloads besides
IMS-1 as well as CARTOSAT-2A. The total weight of these Nanosatellite
payloads is about 50 Kg. Six of the eight Nanosatellites are clustered
together with the collective name NLS-4. The other two nanosatellites are
NLS-5 AND RUBIN-8. NLS-4, developed by University of Toronto, Canada
consists of six nano-satellites developed by various universities. Two of
them -- CUTE 1.7 and SEEDS -- are built in Japan, while the other four --
CAN-X2, AAUSAT-II, COMPASS-1 and DELPHI-C3 are built in Canada, Denmark,
Germany and the Netherlands respectively. NLS-5 is also built by University
of Toronto and RUBIN-8 is built by Cosmos International, Germany. The eight
nanosatellite payloads of PSLV-C9 are built to develop nano technologies for
use in satellites as well as for the development of technologies for
satellite applications.
In its twelve consecutively successful flights so far, PSLV has repeatedly
proved itself as a reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle. It has
demonstrated multiple satellite launch capability having launched a total of
sixteen satellites for international customers besides thirteen Indian
payloads which are for remote sensing, amateur radio communications and
Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1). PSLV was used to launch ISRO's
exclusive meteorological satellite, KALPANA-1, into a Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit (GTO) in September 2002 and thus proved its versatility. The
same vehicle will be used to launch Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first
mission to Moon during this year.
Photo Gallery,
http://www.isro.org/pslv-c9/index.htm