ISRO's PSLV-C47 successfully launches Cartosat-3

New Delhi, Nov 27: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites into Sun Synchronous orbit on board the PSLV-C47 from Sriharikota.

PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in XL configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors). This mission is ISRO's 74th launch mission that will take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

"I am happy that PSLV-C47 injected precisely in the orbit with 13 other satellites. Cartosat-3 is the highest resolution civilian satellite; We have 13 missions up to March- 6 large vehicle missions and 7 satellite missions, " said ISRO chief Siva after the launch.

What is CARTOSAT-3 MISSION

Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees, the agency said. The mission life of CARTOSAT-3 would be for five years.

According to ISRO, the 1,625 kg CARTOSAT-3 will address the increased users' demands for large-scale urban planning, rural resource, and infrastructure development, coastal land use, and land over.

PSLV-C47 will also carry 13 commercial nanosatellites from United States of America as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space.

Among the 13 nano-satellites are FLOCK-4P, 12 in numbers, with mission objective of earth observation, and one satellite named MESHBED, whose mission objective is a communication testbed.

Today's launch follows ISRO's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, which failed to manage a soft landing on the moon, and would have been the country's first had it been successful.

with PTI inputs