ANS: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved another milestone as its PSLV-C56 rocket launched seven Singaporean satellites from the first launch-pad of SDSC-SHAR in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 06:30 hrs IST on Sunday.
The primary payload on this mission was Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite, equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This advanced SAR technology allows DS-SAR to capture high-quality imagery regardless of weather conditions, providing all-weather day and night coverage with impressive 1m-resolution imaging and full polarimetry capabilities.
The dedicated commercial mission, PSLV-C56/DS-SAR, was conducted by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for ST Engineering, Singapore, under a contract with ISRO. About 23 minutes after liftoff, the rocket successfully separated from the satellites and deployed them into their intended orbits, each at a 5-degree orbital inclination.
In addition to DS-SAR, the PSLV-C56 carried six co-passenger customer satellites:
- VELOX-AM: A 23 kg technology demonstration microsatellite developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Its primary goal is to demonstrate Additive Manufacturing (AM) payloads.
- ARCADE: A 27U microsatellite also developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, in collaboration with the INSPIRE (International Satellite Program in Research and Technology) consortium. ARCADE is equipped with an iodine-based solid propellant propulsion module, utilizing a Hall effect thruster for orbit maintenance during its low-altitude mission.
- SCOOB-II: A 3U nanosatellite carrying a technology demonstrator payload.
- NuLIoN: Developed by NuSpace, this advanced 3U nanosatellite aims to enable seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations.
- Galassia-2: A 3U nanosatellite designed to orbit at a low Earth orbit.
- ORB-12 STRIDER: A satellite developed under international collaboration.
The successful launch of these satellites highlights the ongoing collaboration between ISRO and Singapore’s space agencies, opening new possibilities for both countries in the field of space exploration and technology.