ISRO's next big mission: 83 satellites to be launched in single go in January 2017

In first of its kind mission in the history of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), no less than 83 satellites are all set to be launched under single mission in January 2017, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Out of 83 satellites, 80 are foreign and 3 are Indian.

The 80 satellites weigh 500 kg and belong to five countries – Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland and the US. While the three Indian satellites are Cartosat-2 series that weighs 730 kg as primary payload, INS-IA and INS-1B, totally weighing 30 kg.

“These international customer satellites are being launched as part of the commercial arrangement between them and Antrix Corporation Ltd., the commercial arm and PSU under the ISRO,” Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. The Department of Space comes under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

ISRO's first multi-orbital launch in September 2016

In September this year, ISRO had launched the PSLV-C 35, which carried eight satellites belonging to Algeria, US, Canada and India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated ISRO for the successful launch.

The rocket carried five foreign and three Indian satellites. Three were from Algeria namely Alsat-1B 103kg, Alsat-2B 117kg, Alsat-1N 7kg, and one each from Canada (NLS-19, 8kg) and the US (Pathfinder-44kg). The two other Indian satellites were: Pratham (10kg) and Pisat (5.25 kg).

It was for the first time in its history of 23 years that the PSLV launched satellites into two different orbits in single mission.