ISRO all set for record 20-satellite launch on Wednesday

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch 20 satellites in a single rocket on Wednesday. The 48 hour countdown for the launch of PSLV C-34 rocket commenced on Monday. It will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota at 9.25 a.m.

The countdown exercise encompasses spacecraft health checks and preparations for propellant filling operation of second stage (PS2) of PSLV-C34 are in progress.

In about 26 minutes after the rocket takes off from the second pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota at the scheduled time of 9.25 am, all 20 satellites would be launched into intended orbit. The first satellite would be injected into orbit after 16 minutes and eventually the remaining 19 satellites would be placed into orbit in the next 10 minutes.

According to ISRO, the total weight of all the 20 satellites is about 1,288 kg. The co-passengers include satellites from the US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as two satellites from Indian Universities.

The primary satellite PSLV C-34 rocket will sent imagery which would be useful for coastal land use and regulation, road networking, water distribution, creation of land maps and many more manmade features.

This will not be the first time any country will sent 20 satellites in one go. In 2014, Russia had launched 37 and US 30 in one go.