ISRO begins countdown for launch of 20 satellites

TIL Desk/National/Shriharikota-Indian Space Research Organisation today began the cleared the 48-hour countdown for the launch of record 20 satellites in a single mission on June 22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C34 will be used to carry the satellites, including India’s earth observation spacecraft Cartosat-2, from the second launch pad of the space centre at 9.26 am on June 22.

“Mission Readiness Review committee and Launch Authorisation Board have cleared the 48-hour countdown starting at 09.26 hr IST on Monday, June 20, 2016 and the launch of PSLV-C34/Cartosat-2 Series Satellite Mission for Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at 09.26hr IST,” a senior ISRO official said.

 The space agency had earlier sent 10 satellites into orbit in a single mission in 2008. PSLV-C34 will launch 19 co-passenger satellites together weighing about 560 kg at lift-off into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.  ISRO said the total weight of all the 20 satellites carried on board PSLV-C34 is about 1,288 kg.