One of the Greatest Achievement

We did we did…. Today, Indian space technology saw a milestone in its history by the successfully launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C7) carrying four satellites at a time to the space, after the lost of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F02), on INSAT-4C Mission last year.

In a small island Sriharikota, off the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the backdrop of the shallow backwaters of the Pulicat Lake and the morning clean sky, gave way to the PSLV-C7 to lift off from the first launch pad at 9.23am. In the first time of History India launches 4 satellites, India’s CARTOSAT-2 and Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), Indonesia’s LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentina’s PEHUENSAT-1 into a 635 km high polar orbit. The four satellites have been placed in a polar orbit at an altitude of 637 km with an inclination of 97.9 deg with respect to the equator.

The 44meter tall PSLV has a lift-off mass of 295 tonne. This is the 10th successful flight so far, since 1994. CARTOSAT-2, the twelfth in the Indian Remote Sensing satellite series, is an advanced remote sensing satellite capable of providing scene-specific spot imagery. It will join the other six IRS satellites, which are in service. It carries a panchromatic camera to provide imageries with a spatial resolution of better than one meter and a swath of 9.6 km. The data from the satellite will be used for cartographic applications at cadastral level, urban and rural infrastructure development and management, as well as applications in land information system and geographical information system.

For the First time, India test the Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), developed by ISRO’s with 550 kg capsule, intended to demonstrate the technology of an orbiting platform for performing experiments in microgravity conditions that takes India into an elite club of countries that have satellite re-entry technology. This SRI-1 will stay in orbit for between 13 to 30 days and is expected to splash down into the Bay of Bengal for recovery. SRE-1 mission will provide valuable experience in such important fields like navigation, guidance and control during the re-entry phase. Two days before de-orbiting, it will place in a Repetitive Elliptical Orbit. Subsequently, it will be reoriented and deboost rocket is fired to make it reenter the earth’s atmosphere. Close loop guidance system is employed during deboost and coasting phases leading to its recovery. On re-entry, after initial aerodynamic braking, a parachute system will reduce the touch down velocity and will splashdown in the Bay of Bengal, east of Sriharikota coast. A floatation system will keep SRE afloat and enables its recovery.

From this success, India becomes the 4th developed country in Space Technology after the fore front countries of U.S., Russia and China. We have to be proud about our scientists. I congrats and wish them to success in each and every plans.