The Indian Space Research Organisation on Wednesday successfully launched radar imaging earth observation satellite RISAT-2BR1 on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C48 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Nine other foreign commercial satellites were also launched on board the PLSV-C48 to mark its 50th mission.
Six customer satellites belonged to the United States and one each from Israel, Italy and Japan.
The rocket lifted off at 3.25 pm and after over 16 minutes into its flight, RISAT-2BR1 was injected into an orbit of 576 km above earth, the space agency said in a press release. “After separation, solar arrays of RISAT-2BR1 were deployed automatically and the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network at Bengaluru assumed control of the satellite,” it added. “In the coming days, the satellite will be brought to its final operational configuration.”
The 628-kg satellite is meant for applications by the military and also used in various fields like agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. The mission life of the RISAT-2BR1 is five years.
ISRO chief K Sivan said the launch was an “important milestone in the history of PSLV” and called it historic.
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