India on Wednesday successfully placed into orbit a radarimaging earth observation satellite RISAT-2B in a text book style.
India’s new earth observation satellite up in the sky willsend good clarity images which will be used for agriculture, forestry anddisaster management support, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),the country’s space agency.
The images captured by the satellite will also be used forsurveillance purposes while ISRO is silent on this aspect.
“I am extremely happy to announce that PSLV-C46 hassuccessfully injected RISAT-2B in precise orbit,” K.Sivan, ISRO Chairmansaid post launch.
He said with this mission, the PSLV rocket has crossed alandmark of lofting of 50 ton till now since it started flying.
According to Sivan, the PSLV satellite has put into orbit350 satellites.
Sivan said: “The rocket had a piggy back payload, theindigenously developed Vikram computer chip that will be used in the futurerockets.”
According to Sivan, the major mission will be theChandrayaan-2 or the second moon mission which is expected to happen in July9-16 this year.
Following that there will be the launch of a high resolutionCartography satellite and also the flying of ISRO’s new rocket called SmallSatellite Launch Vehicle. (SSLV).
At 5.30 a.m. the PSLV rocket standing around 44.4 metrestall and weighing about 190 ton with a one-way ticket hurtled itself towardsthe skies ferrying the 615 kg RISAT-2B.
With the fierce orange flame at its tail lighting up themorning skies, the rocket slowly gathered speed and went up and up enthrallingthe people at the rocket port while the rocket’s engine noise like a rollingthunder adding to the thrill.
About 15 minutes into the flight the rocket ejected RISAT-2Binto about 555-km orbit.
There is increased demand for satellites from strategicsectors. About six/seven satellites are planned to be built,” a seniorofficial told IANS, preferring anonymity earlier.
The PSLV is a four-stage engine expendable rocket withalternating solid and liquid fuel.
In its normal configuration, the rocket will have sixstrap-on motors hugging it’s first stage.
But the 44.4 metre tall PSLV rocket that lifted off onWednesday with RISAT-2B was the `core alone’ variant – without the strap-onmotors.
The Indian space agency has PSLV variants with two and fourstrap-on motors and larger PSLV-XL.
The choice of the rocket to be used for a mission depends onthe weight of the satellite and the orbit where the satellite has to beorbited.
The ISRO will also be launching another radar imagingsatellite RISAT-2BR1 and two more defence satellites sometime in July or Augustwith its new rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).