10 Satellites Launched in Record Setting Mission for India (Video)
Written by Nancy Atkinson
India’s space agency sent a record 10 satellites into Earth orbit with a single launch early Monday. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket ejected all the satellites within minutes of each other after liftoff from the Sriharikota space station in southern India. Initial signals indicated all the satellites were working normally. India is seeking to compete with other space-faring nations for commercial launch services, and this mission's success demonstrates India's ability to launch multiple payloads into precise orbit. The flight breaks the previous record of eight satellites launched at once by a Russian rocket, according to Indian news reports.
It was the 13th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, which has "repeatedly proved itself as a reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle," said Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO.) Later this year India will launch its own a lunar mission, Chandrayaan which will orbit the moon to create chemical and topographical maps.
The satellites included a 690-kilogram (1,518-pound) remote-sensing satellite, Cartosat-2A, an 83-kilogram mini-satellite and a cluster of eight so-called nano-satellites, each weighing between three kilograms and 16 kilograms. The two larger satellites were built by the ISRO, but the nano-satellites were built by research institutions from Europe, Canada and Japan.
"[India] wants to market its launch systems and also its capability in earth imagery," said Ajay Lele, a space expert at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi. "The mission is very significant from a commercial point of view."
"The mission was perfect," said ISRO chairman G. Madhavan after the launch was telecast live.
"It is a historic moment for us because it is the first time that we have launched 10 satellites in a single mission," he added.
Cartosat-2A, the main satellite launched Monday to an altitude of 630 kilometres (391 miles) above earth, also has a domestic economic dimension and can be used for intelligence gathering as well, officials say.
Here's a YouTube Video from an Indian television station (in English) with more information about the launch.
Last year, India launched an Italian spacecraft into orbit, and in January 2008, it launched an Israeli spy satellite.
For more information about India's space agency: ISRO.
Original News Source: AFP
Filed under: Missions
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April 28th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Whoah. These guys aren't bad. I know 32% of NASA are Indians. Anyway, I think many have under-estimated them. Great Job.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:40 am
yeah. Their launches are much less costly than the ESA or the NASA( so they say), so we'll be expecting worldwide research institutions to send up similar nano satellites on Indian rockets.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:22 am
I heard the Indians are developing an "RLV" similar to a space shuttle but unmanned. Its reusable and will further reduce costs (according to them).
They have an advanced Cryogenic engine which cuts costs.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Sounds like they have the ability to place MIRV warhead configurations on rockets. Lucky they don't have the ability to build nuclear weapons.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
@ Dave S
They do have the ability to build nuclear weapons.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/india/nuke/index.html
April 30th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Chandrayaan ISRO Moon Mission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwjbf-0r9TE
This is the video of indian moon mission called chandrayaan(moon) due to be launched later this year, a lot of information in the video
April 30th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Dude, they do have the capability to build nuclear weapons. They are one of the nuclear states in the world.
They test bombed it twice in an operation called "Smiling Buddha" and was successful. But sanctions were put on them.
I just looked it up on Wikipedia.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
haha propably, Dave S woke up from his dream after couple of decades or something !! India is a nuclear power since 1970s and it has got more than 200 nuclear weapons in its arsenal. Its next target is submarine launched ballistic missile with multiple war heads !!
May 9th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Whoah. Like they say. You learn something everyday. India is a nuclear power. wow.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Hey Deve,
r u still sleeping ? more over, once America tried block India to get Cryogenic engine technology.
Now it seems America and all the world will come to India to find how to make rocket launch technology cheaper…..ha..ha…ha…..