ISRO successfully launches earth observation satellite and 30 other satellites

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Thursday morning successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket carrying Indian earth-mapping satellite HysIS and 30 other satellites from eight countries.

In a statement, ISRO said, “The launch of rocket took place at 9.58 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh about 110 km from Chennai.”

Update #9#ISROMissions#PSLVC43 successfully lifts off with 31 satellites, including #HysIS, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

[Updates to continue.]

— ISRO (@isro) November 29, 2018

Within 17 minutes into the flight, the PSLV rocket placed the HysIS satellite in the 636-km polar sun-synchronous orbit.  The primary goal of HysIS, whose mission life is five years, is to study the earth’s surface in visible near infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Update #11#ISROMissions#PSLVC43

Another view of Indian satellite #HysIS separation.

[Updates to continue.] pic.twitter.com/9BAssorMgv

— ISRO (@isro) November 29, 2018

The co-passengers of HysIS include 1 micro and 29 nanosatellites from eight countries–23 from the United States of America and one each from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Spain. All these satellites have been commercially contracted for launch through ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation Limited.

?LIVE Now: Launch of ?PSLV-C-43/Hysis from Satish Dhawan Centre, Sriharikota https://t.co/9Q3y4xBsgi

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 29, 2018

PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages. PSLV-C43, which is the 45th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), is the ‘Core Alone’ version of PSLV. It is the lightest version of the launch vehicle.

Importantly, this is ISRO’s second launch in the month. The space agency had launched its latest communication satellite GSAT-29 on board GSLV MkIII-D2 on November 14.

Also Read: ISRO set to launch earth observation satellite soon