The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) cannot is set to make a world record by launching 103 satellites in one go this February.
All but three of the satellites will be foreign and will be launched by ISRO’s workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C37 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Image for representation only. Source: Facebook
According to a report in The Hindu, S. Somnath, Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of the ISRO said, “We are making a century by launching over 100 satellites at one go!”
Here are six things to know about this mega launch.
1. ISRO is breaking its own record with this launch. Last year the space agency had launched record 20 satellites in one go.
2. ISRO had earlier planned a launch of 83 satellites in the last week of January.
But the launch was postponed to February after the addition of 20 more foreign satellites.
3. The mission includes satellites from countries like USA, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland, and France.
Most of the smaller satellites are from the US and are to be launched on a commercial basis. The total number of countries launching their satellites in this mission has not been disclosed.
Image for representation only. Source: Facebook
4. The three Indian satellites to be launched are Cartosat-2 series (weighing 730 kg as primary payload) and INS-IA and INS-1B (weighing 30 kg each).
5. The PSLV-C37 will carry 100 micro-satellites. The satellites will weigh around 500-600 kg of the total payload of 1,350 kg.
Image for representation only. Source: Facebook
6. The record for highest number of satellites launched in a single mission is currently held by Russia from the time when the country’s rocket Dnepr, launched 37 satellites in 2014.
The US space agency NASA had launched 29. This launch will be a major achievement in India’s space history since no country has ever attempted a launch on this scale before.
Also read: More Than Just a Space Agency: How ISRO Is Saving Lives
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