ISRO set to launch its 100th satellite today, along with 30 others

Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its 100th satellite along with 30 others in a single mission, from the spaceport of Sriharikota, in a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on Friday.

In its 42nd mission, the ISRO's trusted workhorse 'PSLV-C40' will carry the weather observation 'Cartosat-2' series satellite and 30 co-passengers (together weighing about 613 kg) at lift-off at 9.28 am today.

The four stage PSLV-C40 stands 44.4 metres tall and weighs about 320 tonne at the lift off stage.

The 31 satellites with a combined weight of 1,323 kg have been integrated with the PSLV for deploying them in the earth's lower orbit after lift off.

The co-passenger satellites comprise one micro and nano satellite each from India as well as three micro and 25 nanosatellites from six countries -- Canada, Finland, France, Korea, the United Kingdom and United States of America.

The Indian satellites are 710 kg Cartosat-2 series for Earth observation as the primary satellite of the mission, along with co-passenger payloads, including 100 kg micro satellite and a 10 kg nano satellite.

About 17 minutes 18 seconds after the lift off, the Cartosat-2 series will be separated and injected into its 505 km sun synchronous orbit. The Cartosat-2 has been designed to stay in its orbit for five years.

The 28 international customer satellites are being launched as part of the commercial arrangements between ISRO and its commercial arm 'Antrix Corporation Ltd'.

Of the total number of satellites carried by PSLV-C40, 30 satellites will be launched into a 505 kms polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Scientists would bring down the height by twice restarting the fourth stage of the PSLV-C40 for launch of Microsat satellite, which will be placed in a 359 kms polar SSO, ISRO said.

The entire launch of satellites is expected to happen over a period of 2 hours and 21 seconds, it said.

The first space mission in 2018 onboard the PSLV-C40 comes four months after a similar rocket failed to deliver the country's eighth navigation satellite in the earth's lower orbit on August 31, 2017.

As an observational satellite, Cartosat will beam high-quality images for cartographic, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation and utility management like road network monitoring.