ISRO successfully places EMISAT, 28 other international satellites in orbit in triply-special PSLV-C45 mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully completed the PSLV-C45/EMISAT mission this morning starting with a "perfect launch" from the SHAR in Sriharikota at 9.27 am.

The mission placed an Indian electronic spy satellite developed jointly by ISRO and the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), EMISAT, and 28 other cube- and nanosatellites from Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and USA.

A new variant of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the PSLV-QL, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota with the 29 payloads and placed them in three different orbits over the 180-minute-mission, which is something ISRO attempted (and succeeded at) for the first time.

The PSLV-C45 rocket lifting off from Sriharikota with EMISAT, 28 commercial payloads and 3 projects made by students and startups in India that will run on the fourth stage of the PSLV rocket for ~6 months. Image: ISRO

The PSLV-C45/EMISAT mission is also special for ISRO in other ways. It is the first test of the PSLV-QL rocket variant, which has 4 additional strap-on PSOM-XL boosters to give it a huge additional thrust during liftoff. The mission will also host three experiments from Indian students and startups in the rocket's "still-alive" fourth stage (PS-4). The PS-4 has been adjusted into a suitable orbit at a ~480km altitude so it can sustain three experiments inside it for 5-6 months in microgravity.

These experiments include an Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), India, an Advanced Retarding Potential Analyzer for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Kerala and an Automatic Identification System (AIS), from ISRO.

Here's a look at the PSLV-C45 mission at a glance.

EMISAT drifting away from the PSLV fourth stage 750 kilometres above the ground. Image: ISRO

Exceed Space, an Indian startup made history in December 2018 by becoming the first India private company in space. With the PSLV-C45 mission, it has now also become the second private company from India in space with its APRS payload!

The satellite will test the feasibility of a new way to clean up space debris, which is a growing nuisance with every successive launch.

In another wave of good news, ISRO Chief K Sivan said that a viewing gallery was inaugurated today by 1200 eager viewers to watch the launch live from Sriharikota.

Here's more information on the PSLV-C45 mission:

When and where you can watch the PSLV-C45 launch live

About the Indian intelligence satellite EMISAT and the 28 other payloads onboard

More about PSLV, ISRO's workhorse rocket