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Isro to launch six Singapore satellites

Last Updated 11 December 2015, 20:32 IST

Indian space scientists will launch a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket carrying six Singapore satellites on December 16 at Sriharikota.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Friday said the Mission Readiness Review Committee (MRRC), which approved the launch will soon meet to decide the countdown activities of the rocket.

Isro’s most trusted rocket and workhorse launch vehicle PSLV-C29 will carry these six  satellite to put into 550 km circular orbit after its takeoff at the first launch pad in Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), about 90 km north of Chennai.

“It is a commercial launch. The countdown for the launch is expected to begin on December 14 after approval of MRRC,” a senior Isro official said on Friday.

According to him, of these six satellites, TeLEOS-1 is the primary satellite weighing 400 kg whereas the other five are co-passenter satellites, which include two micro-satellites and three nano-satelllites.

This is the eleventh flight of PSLV in “core-alone” configuration that will not use the solid strap-on motors. The official said the TeLEOS-1 is the first Singapore commercial earth observation satellite designed and developed by ST Electronics.

This electro-optical satellite is to be launched into a low earth orbit for remote sensing applications. In 2015 calendar year, Isro has launched 14 satellites (3 Indian and 11 foreign) from Sriharikota till date.

 Thirteen satellites were launched with PSLV rocket and one communication satellite — GSAT-6 —with geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV). When the December 16 PSLV-C-29 launch turns successful, then the total number of satellite launched from India will be 20.

In November, a communication satellite — GSAT-15 — using the Ariane rocket of the European space agency was launched taking the total in 2015 to 21 (17 foreign, 4 Indian).

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(Published 11 December 2015, 20:32 IST)

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