1 Rocket :: 7 Satellites

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched on a booster rocket to orbit the country's 16th remote sensing satellite and six European nano satellites on Wed. 23 September 2009. Out of the six nano satellites, four are from Germany, one from Switzerland and one from Turke

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was launched at from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the island of Sriharikota. It is the vehicle's 16th launch since September 1993.

Of the 15 remote sensing satellites India has so far launched, nine are still in operation, including the Oceansat-1, which was put into orbit in 1999.

PSLV-14

Oceansat-2 is the sixteenth remote sensing satellite of India. The state-of-the-art Oceansat-2 carries three payloads and has the shape of a cuboid with two solar panels projecting from its sides.

{ Click to Watch Video }

The 960 kg main payload, Oceansat-2, was the first satellite to be injected into orbit at 1081 seconds after lift-off at an altitude of 728 km. About 45 seconds later, four of the six nano satellites were separated in sequence. The initial signals indicate normal health of the satellites. PSLV-C14 mission carried six nano satellites - Cubesat 1, 2, 3 and 4 as well as Rubin 9.1 and 9.2 - as auxiliary payloads along with Oceansat - 2. The weight of these nano satellites was in 2-8 kg range. Oceansat - 2 and the six auxiliary payloads were placed in a polar Sun Synchronous Orbit inclined at an angle of 98.28 degree to the equator.

This was the sixteenth mission of ISROs workhorse launch vehicle PSLV and its fifteenth consecutive success.