CHENNAI: Isro’s workhorse PSLV-C56 placed seven Singapore satellites into orbit in a picture-perfect launch early Sunday, marking its sixth successful blast-off this year and adding to the afterglow of a hitch-free start to the Chandrayaan-3 mission just over two weeks ago. With this, Isro has so far launched 431 satellites belonging to 34 countries.
The launch vehicle flew the seven payloads, including the radar imaging earth observation satellite DS-SAR, to a 535km circular orbit before the rocket’s upper stage was moved to a lower orbit to reduce its orbital life and mitigate space debris.
Around 21 minutes after PSLV lifted off, the rocket placed its primary payload – the 352kg DS-SAR.
Over the next three minutes, the other six satellites, weighing a total of 70.5kg, were injected into the orbit.
“In the midst of Chandrayaan 3 mission, Isro scales another landmark with the successful launch of PSLV-C56/DS-SAR,” minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh tweeted.
The launch vehicle flew the seven payloads, including the radar imaging earth observation satellite DS-SAR, to a 535km circular orbit before the rocket’s upper stage was moved to a lower orbit to reduce its orbital life and mitigate space debris.
Around 21 minutes after PSLV lifted off, the rocket placed its primary payload – the 352kg DS-SAR.
Over the next three minutes, the other six satellites, weighing a total of 70.5kg, were injected into the orbit.
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