Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully injected into orbit its Earth imaging and mapping satellite Cartosat-3 along with 13 commercial nano satellites from the US on November 27.

The 44.4-metre-tall PSLV C47 rocket lifted off majestically at 9.28 am from the second launch pad at the spaceport in Sriharikota.

Cartosat-3, India’s most complex and advanced Earth imaging satellite built so far, was placed into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after lift-off, which is ISRO’s first mission after Chandrayaan 2, where the lander crashed while making a soft descent on the lunar surface on September 7.

All the 13 nano satellites from the US were released into orbit at 26 minutes and 56 seconds after lift-off, ISRO said. The 13 commercial nano satellites were being carried as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) of the Department of Space.

Among the 13 are FLOCK-4P, 12 in numbers, with mission objective of Earth observation, and one satellite named MESHBED, whose objective is to be a communication testbed.

What are the features of Cartosat-3?

With an overall mass of 1,625 kg, Cartosat-3 would address increased demand for large-scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover. It will also serve military purposes.

The satellite’s payload has the capability to take sharp pictures with a ground resolution of 0.25 metre in panchromatic and 1 metre ground resolution or ground sample distance (GSD) in 4 Band Multispectral modes with a swathe of 16 km, ISRO said.

Cartosat-3 has many new technologies / elements like highly agile structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics, dual gimbal antenna and others.

Cartosat-3 is the ninth in the series. The first, Cartosat-1, was launched by PSLV C6 on May 5, 2005.

“I am extremely happy to declare that PSLV C47 precisely injected Cartosat-3 and 13 customer satellites successfully in the desired orbit of 509 km. Cartosat-3 is India’s highest resolution civilian satellite, and the most complex and advanced earth observation satellite ISRO has built so far,” ISRO chief K. Sivan said from the Mission Control Centre.

PSLV C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in XL configuration (with six solid strap-on motors). It was the 74th launch vehicle mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

On future missions, Sivan said, “Our hands are full, with 13 missions slated upto March 2020. They combine some six launch vehicle missions and seven satellite missions.”

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