ISRO Launches CARTOSAT-3, 13 USA's Commercial Nanosatellites From Sriharikota

The Indian Space Research Organisation on Wednesday launched advanced earth imaging and observation satellite CARTOSAT-3 and 13 nanosatellites of the USA from Sriharikota. The satellites were launched using PSLV-C47. CARTOSAT-3 is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability.

"I am happy that PSLV-C47 injected precisely in the orbit with 13 other satellites. Cartosat-3 is highest resolution civilian satellite; We have 13 missions up to March- 6 large vehicle missions and 7 satellite missions," said ISRO chief Dr K Sivan after the launch.

With an overall mass of 1,625kgs, CARTOSAT-3 would address the increased user’s demands for the large-scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover.

PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in the ‘XL’ configuration (with six solid strap-on motors), ISRO said. The 13 commercial nanosatellites from the United States are being carried as part of the commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), Department of Space.

Among the 13 nano-satellites are FLOCK-4P, 12 in numbers, with mission objective of earth observation, and one satellite named MESHBED, whose mission objective is communication test bed.

ISRO said Wednesday’s launch would be the 74th launch vehicle mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The mission life of CARTOSAT-3 would be for five years.

The launch of CARTOSAT-3 and 13 other commercial nanosatellites follows ISRO’s moon mission Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, which failed to manage a soft landing on the moon, and would have been the country’s first had it been successful. While the Orbiter continues to revolve around the moon, the lander ‘Vikram’ and rover ‘Pragyan’ were rendered non-functional after a hard-landing on the lunar surface on September 7.