ISRO launches NovaSAR and S1-4 earth observation satellites of UK

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today successfully launched into space the NovaSAR and S1-4 earth observation satellites of U.K from the spaceport here and successfully placed them in the designated orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today successfully launched into space the NovaSAR and S1-4 earth observation satellites of U.K from the spaceport here and successfully placed them in the designated orbit.

NovaSAR is intended to be used for forest mapping, land use, and ice cover monitoring, flood, and disaster monitoring.

S1-4 will be used for surveying resources, environment monitoring, urban management, and disaster monitoring. In a night launch, the workhorse PSLV-C42 launch vehicle blasted off from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10.08 PM.

The PSLV injected the satellites into orbit 17 minutes and 45 seconds after liftoff and placed them in a sun-synchronous orbit 583 km from the earth. ISRO chairman K Sivan said the mission was a success and congratulated the scientists. "Today I am extremely happy to announce that PSLV-C42 carrying two customer satellites NovaSAR and S1-4 placed them precisely in orbit.

Within the next six months, 10 satellite missions and eight launch vehicle missions would be launched - one every two weeks, he said ISRO's moon mission would be launched on January 3, 2019, he said. The two satellites of UK-based Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL), both weighing 889 kg, were launched as per a commercial arrangement between the company and ISRO's commercial wing - Antrix Corporation Ltd.

ISRO had successfully carried out a similar night launch in 2015 and placed five satellites belonging to SSTL. The launch comes almost six months after ISRO successfully placed the INRSS-1I navigation satellite in orbit on April 12.