India launches 31 satellites into space
India put into orbit its own earth observation satellite with a sharp eye and 30 other foreign satellites in text-book style
India fired a rocket carrying 31 satellites into space on Thursday, including its own advanced earth observation satellite among the other smaller ones launched for eight countries.
The rocket launched from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh carried the Hyper-spectral Imaging Satellite (HYSIS) with high resolution, digital-imaging equipment to map the earth, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
Satellites from Australia, Colombia, Malaysia and Spain were also carried for the first time by an Indian rocket, the state-run ISRO said on its website.
This latest launch is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to project India as a global low-cost provider of services in space. It comes nearly two weeks after GSAT-29, India’s heaviest satellite, was sent into space.
Just over three-quarters of the satellites launched on Thursday were US contracts agreed with Antrix Corporation Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO.
“The highlight of this launch, #HYSIS, will be India’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite! A big victory for Indian science and tech,” India’s information and broadcasting minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said on Twitter. Images sent by HYSIS, which has a mission life of five years, will be used in the agriculture and forestry sectors, and help detect industrial pollution.
After the successful launch, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Sivan said: “Once again Indian space scientists showed their excellence...”
India on Thursday put into orbit its own earth observation satellite with a sharp eye, the Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite (HYSIS), and 30 other foreign satellites in textbook style.
In the process, India has crossed the milestone of lifting and putting into orbit over 250 foreign satellites. India has till datehasputintoorbit269foreignsatellites.
The notable aspect of the rocket mission is the placing of the satellites in two different orbits − one at a higher altitude and the others in a lower one.
Afterthesuccessfullaunch,indianspace Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Sivan said: “Once again Indian space scientists showed their excellence. The PSLV injected the HYSIS irst and later the 30 foreign customers satellites.
The HYSIS is a state-of-the-art satellite. The heart of the satellite, a critical chip called the optical imaging detector array chip was designed by ISRO’S Satellite Applications Centre (SAC) and fabricated by Semi-conductor Laboratory of ISRO. It can read upto 1000 x 66 pixels.
Queried about the HYSIS’ application for strategic/defence purposes Sivan said: “Our duty is to build the satellite to identify the object clearly. The actual use of the data is left for the users.”
The primary goal of HYSIS is to study the earth’s surface in visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, he said.
Hyperspectral imaging is an imaging spectroscopy which combines the power of digital imaging and spectroscopy.
This imaging technology enables to distinguish objects on the earth by reading the spectrum for each pixel of an item seen from the space.
On the manned space mission planned by ISRO, Sivan said the irst unmanned mission − a prelude to the manned one − will happen in December 2020.
There will be another mission later again ahead of the human space mission by 2022.
When asked about the training to be provided to the Indian astronauts Sivan said the plan is to develop most of the facilities within the country and for some training they may go overseas.
Sivan also said that the next launch will be of communication satellite GSAT11 from French Guiana on Dec.5, which will followed by GSAT-7A by the Indian rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from here.
According to him, in 2019 ISRO will be launching a micro-satellite, Chandrayaan-2 (moon mission), RISAT and Cartosat satellites.
Meanwhile, on Thursday at about 9.58 a.m., the four staged/engine PSLVCA rocket, standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing about 230 tonne, blasted off from the irst launch pad.
With the ierce orange lame at its tail, the rocket slowly gained speed and went up enthralling the people at the rocket port while the engine roared like a rolling thunder adding to the thrill.
More thrilling aspect came in when rocket’s fourth stage/engine was cut/ switched off in just over 16 minutes after the lift off.
A minute later, the Indian satellite HYSIS with a mission life of ive years was placed in 636 km polar sun synchronous orbit.
Following that the rocket was brought to a lower altitude of 503 km. Post HYSIS ejection, the rocket’s fourth stage was restarted at 59.65 minutes after the lift off.
The co-passengers of HYSIS include one micro and 29 nano satellites from eight different countries.
Later, the rocket was switched off and on, twice before the inal foreign passenger was put into orbit about 112.79 minutes after the rocket’s lift off.
All the foreign satellites were placed in a 504 km orbit, just as the overseas customers wanted their satellites to be placed, Sivan said.