PSLV-C53 rocket carrying three Singapore satellites launched by ISRO

Three Singaporean satellites were successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as part of a commercial mission for the New Space India Limited. This was the space agency’s second launch of the year; its first, had put an Indian Earth Observation Satellite in orbit. The space agency also carried six in-orbit experiments mounted on the fourth stage of the rocket on the current mission in addition to the commercial satellites.

KEY POINTS:

• The nation’s workhorse rocket, PSLV-C53, launched from Sriharikota and put the three satellites into precise orbits about 18 minutes later.
• The launch vehicle was deployed in the core-alone configuration, which only uses the four primary engine stages.
• The 365 kg Singaporean DS-EO satellite served as the mission’s primary payload.
• It is an electro-optic earth observation satellite that can deliver full-color images for land classification and disaster relief operations.
• Its first small commercial satellite, weighing 155 kg, is called NeuSAR. It can transmit images in all weather conditions, day or night.
• The third satellite was the 2.8 kg Scoob-1 from Nanyang Technical University, the first in a series of student satellites designed to provide practical training for the university’s satellite research centre.

About the Experiments in Fourth Stage:

• Six experiments, including two from Indian start-ups Digantara and Dhruva Space, were carried by the rocket in its fourth stage in addition to the foreign payloads.
• The PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) attaches solar panels, a battery, and a navigation control system to the rocket’s expanded fourth stage to use it as a platform in orbit.
• Typically, the rocket stages degrade, return to Earth’s atmosphere, and burn up after placing the satellite in orbit. But they can be used for experiments if a little extra power is added to keep the stage in orbit.
• The stage was used by the space agency for in-orbit experiments for the second time; the first time was in 2019 when the student group SpaceKidz India launched its KalamSat on the rocket’s PS-4 stage.
• Along with the two launch flights, Isro recently launched the massive 4,180 kg GSAT-24 satellite on a vehicle from the commercial launcher Ariane Space.

About Tata Play:

• Tata Play has been given a lease on the satellite, which will give DTH services coverage over all of India.