Nellore: India on Thursday night opened its 2019 space account by successfully putting into orbit imaging satellite Microsat R for the Defence Research and Development Organisation and student-built nano-satellite Kalamsat in a copy book style.
The exercise to convert the fourth stage as a platform to a students built nano-satellite Kalamsat, is yet to be completed at the time of going to press.
However, Isro chairman Dr Sivan declared that the maiden mission in 2019 is a grand success and Kalamsat also in the orbit.
Notable aspects of this space mission are the flying of a new variant of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), switching off and on of the fourth stage engine a couple of times and the use of the fourth stage as an orbital platform for carrying Kalamsat.
At 11.37 pm the rocket, standing 44.4m tall, blasted off majestically into the night sky from the First Launch Pad in Sriharikota.
With a fierce orange flame at its tail lighting up the night sky, the rocket slowly gained speed and went up and up, enthralling people at the rocket port while its engine noise, like a rolling thunder, added to the thrill.
A more thrilling aspect came in when the rocket’s fourth stage engine was switched off just over 13 minutes after lift-off. A minute later, the DRDO imaging satellite Microsat R was injected, at an altitude of about 277 km. Sources in Shar said there is increased demand for satellites from strategic sectors. About 6/7 satellites are planned to be built.
It may be mentioned here that GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A are the two dedicated military communication satellites while all other earth observation and communication satellites launched earlier were of dual use, for civilian as well as defence.
At about 54 minutes after the PSLV’s lift-off, its fourth stage was restarted and run for about 16 seconds, after which it was again cut off. About 100 minutes after lift-off, the rocket’s fourth stage was again switched on for a few seconds before it was again cut off. Finally, about 103 minutes after the rocket left the earth, the fourth stage began its role as an orbital platform carrying Kalamsat-V2 at an altitude of 450km.
