ISRO Launches PSLV-C53 Mission With Three Satellites From Sriharikota Space Centre | WATCH

The mission, called PSLV-C53, is the second dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched DS-EO satellite and two other co-passenger satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on June 30, 2022. The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

The mission, called PSLV-C53, is the second dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The DS-EO satellite, along with two other co-passenger satellites from Singapore, will be placed into low-Earth orbit. 

The mission proposes to demonstrate the utilisation of the spent upper stage of the launch vehicle as a stabilised platform for scientific payloads following the separation of the satellites.

After the successful launch of PSLV-C53, the ISRO announced on Twitter: "PSLV-C53/DS-EO Mission is successfully accomplished."

PSLV C-53 is the 55th mission of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 15th mission using the PSLV-Core Alone variant. 

PSLV C-53 is a four-stage and 44.4 metre-tall rocket with a lift-off mass of 228.433 tonnes. 

The launch vehicle will inject the DS-EO satellite, weighing 365 kilograms, into Earth orbit. The other two satellites which will be placed into orbit are NeuSAR and Scoob-1. NeuSAR is a 155-kilogram satellite produced in Singapore. Scoob-1 is a 2.8-kilogram satellite developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. 

More About The Three Satellites 

According to ISRO, DS-EO carries an electro-optic, multi-spectral payload that will provide full colour images for land classification and will serve humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs. 

NeuSAR is Singapore's first small commercial satellite carrying a SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) payload, a form of radar that is used to create two-dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects such as landscapes. This payload is capable of providing images in day and night and under all weather conditions. 

Scoob-1 is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), a student training programme from the Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) at Singapore's NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

What Is POEM?

PSLV C-53 also carries the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), which is meant to perform in-orbit scientific experiments using the spent PSLV upper stage engines (PS4) stage as an orbital platform. The mission marks the first time that the PS4 stage would orbit Earth as a stabilised platform. 

POEM, which derives power from the solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a Lithium-ion battery, navigates using four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyroscopes, and NavIC. A gyroscope is a device used for measuring orientation and angular velocity, and is built into compasses on ships and aircraft. NavIC is the acronym for Navigation with Indian Constellation, and is the operational name for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), which is an independent regional navigation satellite system providing accurate real-time positioning and timing services to users in the country as well as regions extending up to 1,500 kilometres from its boundary. 

POEM caddied dedicated control thrusters using Helium gas storage, and is enabled with telecommand feature.

The module carries six payloads including two from Indian space start-ups Digantara and Dhruva Space, which are enabled through IN-SPACe and NSIL.