PM Modi to witness launch of ISRO's PSLV C-23 rocket

Chennai: In his first visit to Tamil Nadu after becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will make a brief stopover in the city tomorrow enroute to Sriharikota to witness the launch of ISRO’s PSLV C-23 rocket. The launch will take place on Monday. The indigenous PSLV-C23 rocket, carrying satellites of France, Germany, Canada and Singapore, will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota. Modi has no official engagements in the city even as state BJP sources said they have not planned any function for the leader at the airport so far. Security has been beefed up at the airport in view of Modi’s visit, police said. The Prime Minister’s special aircraft from New Delhi is expected to land in Chennai at around 3.55 pm after which he is scheduled to reach Sriharikota by a helicopter following a brief stopover. Four helicopters have been stationed here for use by the Prime Minister and his entourage, police said. [caption id=“attachment_1594177” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Image from ISRO’s Twitter account.[/caption] Meanwhile the 49-hour countdown for launch of ISRO’s PSLV-C23 carrying a French Earth observation satellite along with four others from Singapore, Canada and Germany on June 30, commenced at the spaceport of Sriharikota on Saturday. “The 49-hour countdown of PSLV-C23 Mission started at 08:52 AM at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota,” ISRO said. The Launch Authorisation Board (LAB), which met on Friday at Sriharikota, cleared the launch, paving the way for the start of the countdown. The launch, originally fixed at 9.49 am IST on June 30, has been rescheduled for 9.52 am due to the probability of space debris movement during the launch window. SPOT-7 is an Earth observing satellite, similar to Indian Remote Sensing System (IRSS). ISRO has so far launched 35 satellites of foreign countries onboard its workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. PTI