SRIHARIKOTA: A brand new chapter in the history of space exploration was created on 15th February, when India successfully launched a record 104 satellites by Isro's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in a single mission. In PSLV-C37's 39th flight, it carried 104 satellites lifting off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, 9:28 am.
Exact seventeen minutes later, it bagen placing the satellites into the orbit, one by one with a time frame of about 11 minutes. Congratulating the team for the succesful launch, Isro chairman AS Kiran Kumar said, "My hearty congratulations to the team. The Prime Minister has conveyed his congratulations." Off the 104 satellites, 101 belonged to six other countries- 96 from the US, and one each from Israel, the UAE, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan. PSLV first injected its main payload, India's indigenously built earth observation satellite, Cartosat- 2 series. It was followed by two other nanosatellites of Isro- INS-1A and INS-1B. Later, it didn't take more than 10 minutes for it to shoot out its other 101 passengers, as it began to climb in altitude.
Isro Satellite Centre Director, Mayilsamy Annadurai said, "We can also hit centuries like our cricketers. In another two months, the number of satellites built by Isro will reach 100. Besides GSLV missions, we have Chandrayan-2 ready for launch next year." Mission director B Jayakumar revealed that the launch involved complex issues in management and maneuvering. "A great moment for each and every one of us. We have so far, launched 226 satellites including 179 foreign satellites," he added.
Equipped with panchromatic and multispectral cameras, the 664kg Cartosat-2 will provide remote sensing services similar to that of its predecessors. Images from the satellite will be used for cartographic applications, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation, utility management like road network monitoring, water distribution, creation of land use maps, change detection to bring out geographical and manmade features and various other land information system (LIS) and geographical information system (GSI) applications.
Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre K Sivan said it was the toughest mission they had handled. Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre P Kunhikrishnan, "We had to ensure they didn't collide. Last year, we saw nine successful launches. This year began with a remarkable event. Congratulations to customers on placing confidence on Isro's PSLV."
