In a sign of India ?s space ambitions coming of age, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) created history today by successfully putting into orbit a world-record ten satellites, including the country?s remote sensing satellite and eight foreign satellites, in a single complex mission.
The launch comes ahead of India?s plans to launch its first moon mission ?Chandrayaan-I? expected later this year.
At the end of the 52-hour countdown, the 230-tonne Polar Satellite launch Vehicle (PSLV-C9) blasted off into the clear sky at 9.23 am from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota carrying the heaviest luggage?824 kgs.
Fourteen minutes after lift off, the fourth stage of the Isro?s workhorse launch vehicle, in its 13th flight, injected the ten satellites, into the 635 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). This is PSLV?s?which is described as Isro?s ?reliable and versatile? workhorse rocket?twelfth successful flight.
Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters ? It is really a memorable moment. The mission was perfect and for the first time, ten satellites were launched within one mission. We have set a record. Only Russia had so far tried to launch 13 satellites in a single launch and I am not sure whether that was successful.? Nair added though there were some anxious moments regarding the weather condition, that ?all parameters worked wonderfully well? and the launch was ?satisfactory?,
The 10-pack textbook launch put into orbit an Indian Mini Satellite and eight foreign nano satellites (each weighing between 3 kgs and 16 kgs built by research institutions from Europe, Canada and Japan) besides the Cartosat-2A remote sensing satellite, demonstrating the country?s capabilities to launch multiple payloads into precise slots.
Mission director Kosy said ?This has proven that the PSLV can be depended upon and that puts more responsibilities for us in the next coming Chandrayan mission.?