Launched 104 satellites in a single mission
Indian Space Research Organization on Wednesday set a new record as it successfully launched 104 satellites in one go from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The space agency began the countdown for the launch of PSLV-C37 rocket on Tuesday 5:28 a.m. after the Mission Readiness Review Committee and the Launch Authorization Board gave its approval.
Out of the 104 earth-observation satellites, three are from India, 88 from the US and the rests are from Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
India’s satellites in the mission include an indigenous Cartosat-2, which is an earth observation instrument and two nano satellites INS-1A and INS-1B.
All US satellites are from the earth observation company Planet, which was formed by former NASA scientists in 2010. This is the second time that Planet chose PSLV to launch its cubesats. Earlier in June last year, it got its earlier set of 12 ‘Doves’ launched along with India’s CartoSat-2C.
The 88 cubesats weigh around 11 pounds each and are called Doves or Flock 3p, it is all part of the California-based company’s earth observation constellation of 100 satellites.
The earlier record for the most satellites ever launched was 37, which was set by Russia in 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee congratulated ISRO for India’s historic achievement and successfully completing a technically complicated mission.
“This remarkable feat by @isro is yet another proud moment for our space scientific community and the nation. India salutes our scientists,” Modi tweeted.
Social Media Updates:
PSLV-C37 / Cartosat -2 Series Mission Successfully Launched all 104 Satellites
— ISRO (@isro) February 15, 2017
#ISRO does not just do it again; by launching 104 satellites at one go, it sets a #WorldRecord too.
Video courtesy: @DDNewsLive @isro pic.twitter.com/TJdyVRv9EJ
— PIB India (@PIB_India) February 15, 2017
This remarkable feat by @isro is yet another proud moment for our space scientific community and the nation. India salutes our scientists.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 15, 2017
Nation is proud of this achievement, which has demonstrated, yet again, India’s increasing space capabilities #PresidentMukherjee
— President Mukherjee (@POI13) February 15, 2017