Wednesday 15 February 2017

ISRO satellite launch: Proud moment for India, 104 satellites placed in orbit

ISRO satellite launch: At 9,28 am on Wednesday, PSLV-37 successfully lifted off from the spaceport at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.




  • In about 18 minutes, all 104 satellites were released into space, each travelling at the speed of over 27,000 km per hour - 40 times the speed of an average passenger airline.         
  • India's workhorse rocket PSLV-C37 is on its 39th mission. Among the 104 satellites are many belonging to international customers.
  • This is the heaviest version of the PSLV, weighing about 320 tonnes at lift-off and standing tall at 44.4 meters.
  • The main passenger is the Earth-mapping Cartosat 2 series satellite, which weighs 714 kg.
  • The smaller satellites belong to the US, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates will be launched. 96 of the satellites belong to the US.
  • Close to 90 small satellites named 'Doves' belong to one San Francisco-based company, Planet Inc. The Dove constellation will be used to image the earth at low cost.   
  • Two ISRO-made Nano satellites belonging to international customers were also launched. They weigh about 1,378 kg. The PSLV first launched the Cartosat-2 and then its 103 co-passengers into the polar Sun Synchronous Orbit, about 520 km from the Earth.
  • PM Narendra Modi congratulated the scientists for successful launch, saying "this remarkable feat has made India proud".
  • In 2014, the Russian Space Agency has launched 37 satellites in one go.
  • This is ISRO's second successful attempt after the launch of 23 satellites in a single rocket in June 2015.
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