PSLV-C35 successfully launches SCATSAT-1

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 | EDIT

PSLV-C35 successfully launches SCATSAT-1 and other 7 satellites into respective orbits;

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its thirty-seventh flight (PSLV-C35), launches the 371 kg SCATSAT-1 for weather related studies and seven co-passenger satellites into polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Co-passenger satellites are ALSAT-1B, ALSAT-2B, ALSAT-1N from Algeria, NLS-19 from Canada and Pathfinder-1 from USA as well as two satellites PRATHAM from IIT Bombay and PISAT from PES University, Bengaluru.

SCATSAT-1 was placed into a 720 km Polar SSO whereas; the two Universities / Academic Institute Satellites and the five foreign satellites will be placed into a 670 km polar orbit. This is the first mission of PSLV in which payloads were launched into two different orbits.

PSLV-C35 was launched from the First Launch Pad (FLP) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota on Monday morning at 9:12 hrs (IST) on September 26, 2016.

This was the first mission of PSLV in which it launched its payloads into two different orbits. The co-passenger satellites were from the US, Canada and Algeria besides from Indian Universities.

ISRO’s SCATSAT-1 can generate accurate data on wind patterns over the ocean surface. It is a continuity mission for the Oceansat-2, which has exhausted its operational life. The expected lifespan of SCATSAT-1 is expected to be five years.

The seven other co-passengers in today’s mission included three small satellites from Algeria meant for earth observation, remote sensing and technology demonstration, a commercial high resolution imaging micro-satellite of an US agency, the nano-satellite NLS-19 of Canada to experiment on reduction of space debris and two nano-satellites of IIT, Bombay and the PES University, Bengaluru.