New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has created another milestone in space explorations by launching 20 satellites in a single mission from its spaceport in Sriharikota on Wednesday.
In a precision launch, PSLV-C34 took off from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, about 110 km from Chennai at 9.26 AM and placed the Cartosat-2 Series and 19 others in the designated polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) about 30 minutes later in clear skies.
Here is a DD News video of PSLV-C34/ Cartosat-2 Series launch.
#ISRO launches #PSLVC34 which will place a record 20 satellites in space @isro pic.twitter.com/GtNHVcQjKC
— Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) June 22, 2016
According to ISRO, the 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg in total.
The rocket's main cargo is India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. The other 19 satellites weighing totally around 560 kg are from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune.
This is the first time the Indian space agency has launched more than 10 satellites with a single rocket. In 2008, it launched 10 satellites.
Till date, ISRO has launched 57 satellites for foreign vendors from about 20 countries.
