ISRO PLACES OCEANSAT-3, EIGHT OTHER NANOSATELLITES IN SPACE

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Saturday successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), carrying OceanSat-3 along with eight nanosatellites, the space body said.

The 44.4 metre tall rocket lifted off at the scheduled time at 11.56am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

“PSLV-C54/EOS-6 mission: EOS-06 spacecraft separation is successful. The spacecraft’s health is normal. The mission is continuing,” Isro tweeted.

“PSLV-C54/EOS-06 mission is accomplished. The remaining satellites have been injected into their intended orbits,” it later said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Isro and its commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), for the successful launch.

“Congratulations to @ISRO and NSIL on the successful launch of PSLV C54 mission. The EOS-06 satellite will help in optimising utilisation of our maritime resources,” he tweeted.

The PSLV-C54 carried the primary satellite OceanSat-3, the Earth Observation Satellite-6; a diplomatic satellite Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B) and seven private satellites — Bengaluru-based space tech startup Pixxel’s hyperspectral satellite Anand, Dhruva Space’s Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2, and four satellites for US-based Spaceflight.

“After startup Skyroot launched a private rocket, it is now another startup launching private satellites. Thanks to PM Narendra Modi for unlocking space to make this possible. Congrats team Isro for yet another milestone,” Union minister of state (independent charge) for science and technology Jitendra Singh said in a tweet.