ISRO successfully launches record 20 satellites in one go

In a precision launch, PSLV-C34 took off from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, about 110 km from Chennai at 9.26 AM and placed the Cartosat-2 Series and 19 others in the designated polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) about 30 minutes later in clear skies. The 727.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite will provide regular remote sensing services with its panchromatic and multispectral cameras and its imagery will be of multiple use.

Of the 19-satellites, 12 are earth imaging “Dove satellites” of USA and another American satellite. The rest are from Canada (two) and one each from Germany and Indonesia. Two academic satellites are from Sathyabama University (Sathyabamasat) in Chennai and from College of Engineering (Swayam) at Pune.

Use of Cartosat 2 includes cartographic, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation, utility management like road network monitoring and water distribution. Also, creation of land use maps, precision study,change detection to bring out geographical and man-made features and various other Land Information System and Geographical Information System applications can be done. It is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO and described Wednesday’s launch as a “monumental” accomplishment.

“20 satellites in a go! @ isro continues to break new barriers. hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment’, he said on Twitter. 

ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar congratulated his team for the successful launch ‘in a record time’ and said “PSLV C-34 has done its job.” “We have the current generation of earth observation satellite of Cartosat 2 series,” he said, adding ISRO had done a “wonderful job”.

P Kunhikrishnan, Director, SDSC-SHAR, said that it was a major accomplishment by PSLV in its 35th consecutive successful mission.“PSLV has become a success symbol for ISRO and India. ISRO is adopting more and more professionalism,” he said. D Jayakumar, Mission Director, described Wednesday’s launch as a major landmark.