Countdown to ISRO's 10-satellite launch begins

Stage is set for the launch of PSLV-C9 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. As many as ten satellites will be launched on Monday by the Indian Space Research Organisation, including country's latest remote sensing satellite and eight nano satellites.

PSLV-C9 would put into orbit CARTOSAT-2A (remote sensing satellite) along with Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) and the eight nano satellites. This will be the thirteenth flight of PSLV and third flight with 'core-alone' configuration.

CARTOSAT-2A weighing about 690 kg carries state-of-the-art Panchromatic camera (PAN) that is capable of taking black and white pictures in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The imagery will have a spatial resolution of about one metre. The camera covers a swath (geographical strip of land) of about 9.6 km. The highly agile CARTOSAT-2A is steerable along as well as across the direction of its movement to facilitate imaging of any area more frequently.

The 83 kg Indian Satellite (IMS-1) developed by ISRO incorporated many new technologies and has miniaturised subsystems.

IMS-1 carried two optical payloads, a multi-spectral camera (Mx Payload) and a Hyperspectral camera (HySI Payload). Both Mx and HySI payloads operate in the visible and near infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The resolution of Mx camera is 37 metre with swath of 151 km, while that of HySI is about 506 metre with a swath of 129.5 km. The data from this mission will be made available to developing countries.

Eight nano satellites built by universities and research institutions in Canada and Germany are also being launched under a commercial agreement with Antrix Corporation. The weight of these nano satellites vary from 3 to 16 kg with a total weight of about 50 kg.

The launch campaign is progressing satisfactorily at SDSC SHAR. The satellite has already been integrated with the launch vehicle. On April 18, 2008, the launch vehicle was moved to the second launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.