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PSLV-C14 successfully places
7 satellites into orbit
Sriharikota, September 23, 2009: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched PSLV C-14 which carried 7
satellites into the outer space. Rs. 70-crore PSLV rocket carried the Rs.130-crore Oceansat2 -- India's
remote sensing satellite on Wednesday afternoon from Satish Dhawan Centre in
Sriharikota.
The PSLV carried six other nano satellites. PSLV will place India's
OCEANSAT 2 satellite in orbit.
The Indian satellite will be ejected into a sun-synchronous orbit 720 km
above the earth and it will cover the whole earth as the coverage strip will be
moving. The orbit is designed in such a way that the satellite will cross the Equator at
12 noon near India.
A global leader in remote sensing data, India has till date launched 15
remote sensing satellites of which nine are still in operation.
Even the Oceansat1 launched in 1999 is in service and will go into oblivion
slowly. The design life of Oceansat2 is five years and it may outlast that
period like its earlier version.
The launch has given further fillip India's launch capabilities,
which has emerged as a major player in the multi-billion dollar
space-market. This was the 15th successful flight of the launch vehicle in a row. The first PSLV flight took place on September 20, 1993.
Recalling the PSLV’s first flight, Mr. Nair said: “Unfortunately, we failed Since then, we have not looked back. The next 15 launches have been successful…which gives us the
greatest joy.”
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President,
PM congratulate ISRO team for Oceansat-2
President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today
congratulated the ISRO team for successful launch of Oceansat-2 satellite,
saying this would herald a new beginning in understanding of the oceans.
In a message, the President said that it was a proud moment for the whole
country as the scientists successfully launched the satellites.
The Prime Minister said he was delighted to learn that the Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle-C14 has successfully launched India's Oceansat-2 satellite and
six nano satellites from European Universities and agencies.
"PSLV has once again demonstrated its versatility and reliability through this
15th successful launch in a row," Singh said, adding Oceansat-2 satellite will
"herald a new beginning in our understanding of the oceans".
Congratulating the entire ISRO team responsible for this achievement, the
Prime Minister wished ISRO continued success in future missions. |
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Solar panels
Director of ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore T.K. Alex said the satellite’s solar panels had been deployed. A ground station at Antarctica had tracked it. The spacecraft, which was built at the centre, was pointing towards the earth in the right direction. The satellite was in normal health. While two of Oceansat-2’s three payloads were designed and developed by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, the third one came from Italy.
SAC Director R.R. Navalgund said the satellite would provide data about plant life in the oceans. It would help in locating schools of fish and
monitoring algal blooms that were harmful to fish life. It would also help in forecasting weather and providing information on cyclones. Vice-President Hamid Ansari witnessed the launch.
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