Cartosat-3 Launch: India's PSLV Rocket Lifts-Off With Cartosat-3 And 13 US Satellites From Sriharikota

Following the launch, ISRO tweeted, "PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 USA nanosatellites lifts off from Sriharikota."

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL) rocket carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 nanosatellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL) rocket carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 nanosatellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. At about 9.28 a.m. the 44.4 metre tall, weighing 320-ton rocket blasted off from the second launch pad at the country's rocket port here. The launch was normal despite a clouded sky. The launch saw the presence of Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) K. Sivan. Following the launch, ISRO tweeted, "PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 USA nanosatellites lifts off from Sriharikota."

#PSLV-C47 successfully injects #Cartosat3 spacecraft into orbit pic.twitter.com/8QjiTY2kvl

— ISRO (@isro) November 27, 2019

13 commercial satellites from USA successfully placed in their designated orbits#PSLVC47

— ISRO (@isro) November 27, 2019

About Cartosat-3 satellite • Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability. Cartosat-3 satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 kilometres at an inclination of 97.5 degrees. • It 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. • The Cartosat-3 will furnish images that cater to the demand of urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover and also for strategic/defence purposes. • The sharp satellite images can also be used for surveillance purposes while ISRO is silent on this aspect. Also Watch | Cartosat-3 Launch: All you need to know about this 3rd-gen satellite and its uses • Once the mission turns successful, India would have launched 310 foreign satellites. • According to ISRO, 12 of the US nano satellites are named as FLOCK-4P are earth observation satellites and the 13th is called MESHBED, a communication test bed satellite. • The PSLV-XL is a four stage/engine expendable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively. The rocket has six strap-on booster motors to give additional thrust during the initial flight stages.