April 28, 2008 will forever be noted as a red letter day in the history of science and technology in India. Today was the day ISRO-Indian Space Research Organization launched 10 satellites into space at one go, through a PSLV( Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle). At 9:24 AM IST, the rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space center in Sriharikota, and and 7 minutes later released the satellites into space.
What is PSLV?
PSLV is an expendable launch system operated by ISRO, basically to launch IRS satellites into outer space. An expendable launch system is primarily used to launch a payload or satellite into outer space. The concept of Expendable Launch System is that the we have a multi stage rocket, which is launched into space, and then each of its stages are discarded one by one as the rocket gains altitude and speed. This is in sharp contrast to a reusablelaunch system, where the rocket launched into stage, will be recovered again for further use. The PSLV was first launched in 1993 which was a failure due to a software error, and the rocket crashed into the Bay of the Bengal 700 seconds after take off. It was a major fiasco in those days.
The second launch in 1994 was however succesful, as the IRS P2 satellites were launched, followed by another succesful launch in 1996. On 26 May 1999, we had the first multi pay load lunch when along with IRS, Germany’s DLR-Tubsat and S.Korea’s Kit Sat3 was launched succesfully.
Oct 22, 2001 saw another succesful launch of India’s TES along with Belgium’s PROBA and Germany’s BIRD. On Sep 12, 2002 the satellite METSAT1 was injected into the Geo Stationary Transfer Orbit. Jan 10, 2007 saw another landmark launch when along with India’s CartoSat2 and SRE, Indonesia’s LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentina’s PEHUENSAT1, were also launched using a Dual Launch Adapter for the first time.
What satellites are launched here?
The launch which took place today was one of the largest in Indian space history. US and Russia had launched more than 10 payloads, but this would be the first time, that India was attempting an exercise of this magnitude. All these satellites are launched into a sun synchronous orbit . Basically any object on this orbit, would be passing over the earth surface at same local time.
The primary satellite CARTOSAT 2A is an Earth obsevation satellite in a sun synchronous orbit . This will be a dedicated satellite for Indian Air Force used primarily to observe environment and weather. The other one is TWSAT, an IRS( Indian Remote Sensing) satellite. IRS satellites are the most common ones, launched into outer space. Basically IRS satellites undertake a lot of functions ranging from crop survey to flood risk zone mapping to Urban Planning to Forest Survey etc.
The other satellites are Japanese Cute 1.7+APD-2 and Seeds 2, and Canadian CAN X-2, CANX-6/NTS, the Dutch Delfi -C3, the Danish AAUSAT-II and the German Compass 1 and Rubin. Most of these are small miniature satellites. Also look out for the Chandrayan launch in Jul or December which will be India’s first Lunar Probe.
This is certainly one of the greatest achievements in history of Indian science, and something all of us Indians can be proud of. It is time for us to salute these real unnamed faceless heroes, the scientists of ISRO, who slogged day and night, to make this achievement come true. Take some and remember those men who have made us proud to feel an Indian.