Sriharikota (AP), April 22
ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on Saturday successfully placed two Singapore satellites into the intended orbit, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
The satellites are part of the order secured by NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO.
At the end of a 22.5-hour countdown, the 44.4-metre-tall rocket lifted off majestically from the first launch pad at the pre-fixed 2.19 pm at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, located about 135 km from Chennai.
ISRO Chief S Somanath said the PSLV placed both satellites into the intended orbit.
“The PSLV in its 57th mission has once again demonstrated its high reliability and its suitability for commercial missions of such class,” a beaming Somanath said from the Mission Control Centre.
“In this mission, we had a core alone configuration of the PSLV which has many specialities and improvements that we made to bring down the cost of the rocket as well as its integration time. And this is the goal–to have increased production and launches of PSLV in the times to come…,” Somanath, also Secretary, Department of Space, added.
Mission Director SR Biju said the “totally dedicated commercial mission” was carried out with “utmost precision”.
