First commercial launch of PSLV on Apr 23

Chennai, Apr 09 (UNI) After the successful PSLV-C7 mission and recovery of the first space capsule, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will have its first full-fledged commercial launch when PSLV-C8 lifts of from Sriharikota on April 23 this year.

PSLV-C8, ISRO's workhorse launch vehicle, will carry the 352-kg Italian Satellite Agile and 186-kg Advanced Avionic Module as payload.

The Agile Satellie was meant for an astrophysics experiment and the avionic module, built by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), would carry state-of-the-art computers to check the performance of the vehicle.

ISRO sources told UNI today the launch campaign had already begun and PSLV-C8 would blast off from the second launch pad at India's spaceport Sriharikota on April 23.

This would be the first full-fledged commercial launch for ISRO as it had charged a handsome amount for launching Agile.

Earlier, in its four earlier flights, PSLV launched satellites from abroad, but ISRO had charged only nominal fees.

The launching of Agile would be ISRO's mission to capture at least ten per cent share of the global market, worth two million dollars.

Another unique feature of PSLV-C8 was that it would not have strap-on booster motors and would instead be equipped with roll-on motors for controlling the vehicle.

UNI