tech2 News Staff Nov 29, 2018 15:14:23 IST
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed its PSLV-C43 satellite launch mission by placing India's newest earth-observation satellite HySIS and 30 other commercial satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The mission lasted 112 minutes in all after ISRO's lightest PSLV — the PSLV-CA (Core-alone) rocket — lifted off from the first launch pad at Sathish Dhawan Space Station at 9.58 am IST.
Satellites launched
The first of the satellites launched by PSLV-CA into orbit was India's HySIS (Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite).
HySIS is ISRO's newest earth-observation satellite in orbit, built to provide India with imaging capabilities for a variety of purposes including agriculture, forestry and assessing geological conditions in coastal zones, inland waterways and land.
The PSLV lifting off in an earlier PSLV-39 mission from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. Image courtesy: ISRO
An hour and a half later, the rocket released its second co-passenger — the Malaysian science experiment InnoSAT-2, followed by the remaining 29 nanosatellites in quick, 10-second intervals
With the success of PSLV-C43, the PSLV family of launchers completes its 45th mission in total, and the PSLV-CA rocket, its 13th successful launch.
'ISRO team should be proud'
Soon after the mission control received confirmation that the last of the small satellites were released, ISRO Chairman K Sivan congratulated the mission team on its most recent success.
"I congratulate Team ISRO...Once again, the PSLV has injected 30 customer satellites into their designated homes," he said at the post-launch briefing to ISRO engineers, foreign customers and press.
"With HySIS, I'm sure the team ISRO team can be proud that they are giving India an excellent asset in space."
Sivan also reiterated ISRO's busy week the next major launch: the moon-faring Chandrayaan-2's lander, weeks from now in January 2019. He also said that the agency is currently in the midst of preparing for India's upcoming GSAT-11 launch from French Guinea on 5 December.
"In ISRO's next mission, we're going to have another mission, GSAT-11, the heaviest satellite India has made so far, launched from French Guinea on 5 December," Sivan says to press. "These missions are not just for ISRO, they are for all of India... I congratulate Team ISRO on completing such a wonderful launch mission within two weeks of another big mission."
Science & Tech Minister, others congratulate the team
Congratulations and support for ISRO poured in minutes after ISRO engineers announced that HySIS was released into orbit.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, India's Minister of Science & Technology, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Earth Sciences was among the first to congratulate ISRO on its latest success, following by many Indian dignitaries.
Heartiest congratulations to Hon’ble @narendramodi ji and all our @isro scientists for launch of #PSLVC43 rocket with #HysIS and 30 foreign satellites from #Sriharikota#ISROMissions pic.twitter.com/LOUdTgGF7K
— Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) November 29, 2018
Many congratulations to #ISRO for successfully launching #HysIS and 30 other satellites from 8 countries into orbit. You keep making us proud!#PSLVC43 pic.twitter.com/enzZy8ULn4
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) November 29, 2018
Congratulations to @ISRO scientists & engineers on the successful launch of the HysIS satellite-carrying rocket #PSLVC43, which carried 30 other nano-satellites from across 8 other nations. The HysIS satellite will provide valuable data on agriculture, forestry & geology pic.twitter.com/2MLW9SRMx3
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) November 29, 2018
Many congratulations to the brilliant Team @isro for the successful launch of #PSLVC43.
The highlight of this launch, #HysIS, will be India's first hyperspectral imaging satellite! A big victory for Indian science and tech! pic.twitter.com/coB5OosL4N
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) November 29, 2018
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