India’s latest satellites launch a smooth success

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): India’s launch of its own Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite (HysIS) — an earth observation satellite — went off smoothly on Thursday.

The Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Core Alone (PSLV CA) rocket variant lifted off with 31 satellites — the HysIS and 30 foreign satellites.

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 altitude.

While the HysIS has been placed in its intended orbit, the remaining 30 foreign satellites will be later ejected at a lower orbit.

The primary goal of HysIS is to study the earth’s surface in visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and also for strategic purposes.

All the foreign satellites were placed in a 504 km orbit.

While 23 satellites are from the US, the rest are from Australia, Canada, Columbia, Finland, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Spain.

These satellites have been commercially contracted for launch through Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO.

The Indian Space and Research Organisation had earlier carried out a satellite mission spread over two hours in January.