PNS|Vijayawada
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has accomplished yet another remarkable feat by successfully launching the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C56) on its 56th mission into space, carrying seven foreign satellites. This achievement represents a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of advancing space research.
The PSLV-C56 mission took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota during the early hours of Sunday, marking the second major launch by the Indian space agency within two weeks, following the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon on July 14. The DS-SAR satellite, developed through a collaboration between DSTA, representing the Government of Singapore, and ST Engineering, will cater to the imagery needs of various Singaporean government agencies and ST Engineering’s commercial customers. This successful launch was carried out under a contract with New Space India Limited (NSIL). Notably, it was the fourth dedicated PSLV mission for the Singaporean government and the 431st international satellite launch from India by ISRO.
Following the launch from Sriharikota, all seven satellites were accurately placed into their designated orbits within approximately 20 minutes. The DS-SAR satellite, weighing 360 kg, was deployed into a Near-equatorial Orbit (NEO) at an altitude of 535 km. Equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the satellite offers all-weather day and night coverage, capable of imaging at 1m resolution with full polarimetry.
The advanced capabilities of the DS-SAR satellite will enable the Singaporean government to assess the impact of natural disasters, monitor land usage, track deforestation, and support security and defense activities. Additionally, commercial customers can utilise the satellite for infrastructure evaluation, agricultural monitoring, and exploration of oil and gas resources.
In addition to the DS-SAR, six co-passenger satellites were launched on the same mission. These include VELOX-AM, a technology demonstration microsatellite; ARCADE, an experimental satellite for atmospheric coupling and dynamics exploration; SCOOB-II, a nanosatellite carrying a technology demonstrator payload; NuLIoN by NuSpace, an advanced nanosatellite enabling seamless IoT connectivity in urban and remote locations; Galassia-2, a nanosatellite in low earth orbit; and ORB-12 STRIDER, a satellite developed through international collaboration.
Following the successful launch, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed his appreciation on Twitter, “In the midst of #Chandrayaan3 mission, #ISRO scales another landmark with the successful launch of PSLV-C56/DS-SAR. PM Sh @NarendraModi’s consistent support enables Team @ISRO to register one success after the other in a serial form.”
Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy congratulated the ISRO team for the successful launch of PSLV C-56 with seven satellites into their intended orbits. He extended his best wishes to ISRO for all their future endeavors.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer also lauded the ISRO scientists for the triumphant launch of PSLV-C56, carrying Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite along with six co-passenger satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Governor Abdul Nazeer praised the addition of another feather in ISRO’s cap and conveyed his heartfelt wishes for success in all their upcoming missions.
