• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched three foreign satellites in precise orbit onboard PSLV-C53 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

• PSLV-C53 is the second dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO which had on June 23 launched GSAT-24 in its first “demand-driven” communication satellite mission post space sector reforms.

• This is the 55th mission of PSLV, often described as ISRO’s trusted workhorse and the 15th one using the PSLV-Core Alone variant. It also marks the 16th PSLV launch from the second launch pad.

• The four-stage, 44.4 metre tall PSLV-C53 that blasted off from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, placed the three Singapore satellites — DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-1 in intended orbit of 570 km.

• It accompanies the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) orbiting the Earth as a stabilised platform.

Launches three foreign satellites

• The mission, which is designed to orbit DS-EO satellite along with two other co-passenger satellites from ST Electronics, Singapore, proposes to demonstrate the utilisation of the spent upper stage of the launch vehicle as a stabilised platform for scientific payloads subsequent to the separation of the satellites.

• DS-EO is a 365 kg satellite while NeuSAR weighs 155 kg. Both belong to Singapore and are built by Starec Initiative of South Korea, while the third satellite is a 2.8 kg SCOOB-1 of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

• SCOOB-I is the first in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), a hands-on student training programme from the Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) at Singapore’s NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

• DS-EO carries an electro-optic, multi-spectral payload that will provide full colour images for land classification, and serve Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief needs. 

• NeuSAR is Singapore’s first small commercial satellite carrying aR payload, which is capable of providing images in day and night and under all weather conditions.

PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)

• The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) performs in-orbit scientific experiments using the spent PS4 stage as an orbital platform. 

• It is the first time that the PS4 stage would orbit the Earth as a stabilised platform.

• The POEM carries six payloads including two from Indian Space Start-ups M/s Digantara and M/s Dhruva Space, enabled though IN-SPACe and NSIL.

• The POEM takes over the control of the primary mission computer to another one and the fourth stage will be powered, generating power on board and will be stabilised with altitude control and host some experiments by some of young startups enabled by InSpace.

• POEM derives the power from the solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a Lithium-Ion battery.

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