Watch: ISRO's PSLV-C40 successfully launches 31 satellites from Sriharikota
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with 31 satellites, including three Indian and 28 of six other nations from its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Shortly after lift-off, ISRO said that PSLV-C40 successfully placed weather observation Cartosat-2 series satellite into sun synchronous orbit.
"During the last PSLV launch we had problems, today what has happened proves that the problem was properly addressed and rectified. Happy to give this new year gift to the country," ISRO chief AS Kiran Rao said afte the launch.
The 44.4-metre tall PSLV-C40 roared into a clear sky after a perfect lift-off at 9.29am after a 28-hour countdown and placed the satellites into orbit after seventeen and a half minutes.
This was the 42nd mission of ISRO's trusted workhorse PSLV-C40 and 100th satellite launch from ISRO.
The co-passenger satellites comprise one micro and nano satellite each from India as well as three micro and 25 nanosatellites from six countries - Canada, Finland, France, Korea, the United Kingdom and United States of America.
The total weight of all the 31 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C40 is about 1,323 kg.
The 28 international customer satellites were launched as part of the commercial arrangements between ISRO and its commercial arm 'Antrix Corporation Ltd'.
According to ISRO, the Cartosat-2 series satellite launch is a follow-on mission with the primary objective of providing high resolution scene specific spot imageries.
This was the first launch for ISRO in 2018 following the unsuccessful mission of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H last year.
On August 31, 2017 India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 failed after the heat shield did not separate in the final leg of the launch sequence and as a result, the satellite IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket.
(With inputs from agencies)