After the successful launch of a record 104 satellites in one go on February 15, Isro is gearing up to launch 31 satellites, all packed in PSLV-C38, from Sriharikota on Friday.The SAC director said, "With use of one rocket for multiple satellites, Isro is actually helping reduce space debris", as each rocket spent in space adds to space junk.Explaining the process of rockets becoming space debris, Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said, "The fourth stage of rocket once launches a satellite into its respective orbit becomes useless. 9.22 am: Cartosat-2, the primary satellite which would be launched, is a remote sensing satellite that is similar in configuration to earlier satellites in the series with the objective of providing high-resolution scene specific spot imagery. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation along with 30 co-passenger satellites together weighing about 243 kg at lift-off into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit with its rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C38). This was the 40th flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and 17th flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration (with the use of solid strap-on motors). Twenty nine satellites belonged to 14 foreign countries -- Austria, Belgium, Chile, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the UK and the US.One nano satellite was made by students of Noorul Islam University in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.The launch also marked the second highest number of payloads in a single flight after Isro launched 104 satellites onboard PSLV-C37 on February 15 this year.Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar congratulated the scientists after the mission was declared a success.Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre director K Sivan said it was not an ordinary mission. This story is from June 23, 2017

PSLV-C38 lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday (TOI photo by R Ramesh Shankar)

Indian Space Research Organisation

earth observation satellite Cartosat-2s

‘Not an ordinary mission’

Cartosat

SRIHARIKOTA:(Isro) once again displayed its mastery in launching multiple satellites in a single flight by placing 31 satellites in their orbits on Friday.
ISRO's PSLV-C38 successfully launches Cartosat-2E and 30 other satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.