What to expect from ISRO in June? As many as 22 satellites under solitary mission

After the successful launch of the reusable launch vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it will be launching as many as 22 satellites under single mission in the month of June. “After the current reusable launch vehicle, the next experiment what we have to do we have to worry about that. Other than that, next month we have a launch where we will be launching about 22 satellites. Also one of a cartographic series satellite will be launched,” ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar said.

ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar was speaking on the sidelines of an event which was organised by Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). Out of the 22 satellites, 3 are Indian, while all the rest are commercial, he said. “The launch is scheduled during the end of next month,” he added.

K Sivan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, had said earlier that for the launch the workhorse Polar rocket PSLV C34 of ISRO will be used. It will have satellites from US, Canada, Indonesia and Germany as co-passengers, he said. In 2008, ISRO had sent 10 satellites into orbit under a single mission.

“Immediately after that (launch), we have a scatterometer that is going to get launched, then INSAT 3DR we call- it is to provide vertical temperature and humidity profile from geostationary satellite,” Kiran Kumar said.

ISRO had recently successfully launched an indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle called “swadeshi” space shuttle, from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. The reusable rocket, according to ISRO, will drastically cut down the cost of satellite launches.

The first in the series of experimental flights for Reusable Launch Vehicle-technology development is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX) followed by the landing experiment (LEX), return flight experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX).