India launched its latest spy satellite, RISAT-2BR1, and nine foreign satellites through the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which is on its 50th mission. RISAT-2BR1 is a radar imaging earth observation satellite developed by India's space agency Isro; apart from being used for military purposes, it has applications in fields such as agriculture and disaster management support.
The other satellites include six from the United States, and one each from Japan, Italy and Israel; their applications range from remote sensing to earth imaging. Some significant launches by PSLV include Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and a record launch of 104 satellites in one go. The launch vehicle, PSLV-C48, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Other than PSLV's 50th mission: it is also the 75th launch vehicle mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, and the sixth launch of 2019.
RISAT-2BR1 was placed in orbit around 16 minutes after liftoff, and the nine customer satellites were released into orbit around five minutes later. "I am extremely happy to declare that the 50th PSLV vehicle successfully injected RISAT-2BR1 precisely into the 576 km orbit," said Isro chief K Sivan. In 2020, there will be a series of launches using PSLV along with GSLV and small satellite launch vehicle. “We will take up the challenges and will ensure that every mission is a success,” said Sivan.
Over the last two and half decades, the PSLV has proven its capability repeatedly with international clients queuing up to put their smaller satellites into orbit using the launch vehicle. This is not surprising, given that a PSLV trip is far more affordable than those on launch vehicles of other countries.
Isro's revenue upped by 40%: Minister
The revenue earned by the commercial arm of India's space agency rose by around 40 per cent in 2018-19, helped by satellite launches for foreign customers. In five years revenue generated by launching satellites for other countries stood at over £1.2 bn. The Indian Space Research Organisation has launched satellites from 26 countries during the last five years, Jitendra Singh, minister in charge of atomic energy and space, told Rajya Sabha. He added, contracts with 10 countries namely; USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Singapore, The Netherlands, Japan, Malaysia, Algeria and France were signed in the last five years under commercial arrangements.