The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO has successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C52 early this morning today from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The PSLV-C52 mission has also injected three satellites into the orbits. The Chairman ISRO, C S Somnath has said that the launch was precise with all the four stages being perfect. He thanked the PSLV team for the successful launch.
PSLV C52 placed an EOS-04 radar imaging satellite weighing 1710 kgs into orbit. EOS-04 is designed to provide high-quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as agriculture, forestry and plantations, soil moisture and hydrology and flood mapping.
This satellite will be positioned into a Sun synchronous polar orbit gradually. As a co-passenger INS-2TD technology demonstrator satellite and INSPIRE sat 1 student satellite were also placed into orbit. INS-2TD is a precursor to India-Bhutan Joint Satellite INS-2B. INS-2TD carries a thermal imaging camera to assess land and water surface temperature and thermal inertia at day and at night.
INSPIRE sat-1 is a small satellite from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in association with the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics at University of Colorado. This was PSLV-C52 launch vehicle’s 54th launch in the series.