Countdown begins for Astrosat

The 50-hour countdown for the launch of PSLV-C30, which would put into orbit Astrosat, India’s first indigenously built astronomical satellite, along with six other foreign satellites, commenced at 8 am on Saturday.

The launch will take place at 10 am on Monday. The Isro most trusted rocket and workhorse launch vehicle PSLV will carry the satellite to place it into a 650-kilometre orbit following its takeoff at the first launch pad in Satish Dhawan Space Centre, about 100 kilometres north from here.

“The 50-hour countdown activity of PSLV-C30/Astrosat Mission has started at 0800 hours IST today,” Deviprasad Karnik, Director, Public Relations, Isro, told Deccan Herald.