PSLV-C42 successfully places two foreign satellites in orbit

Sriharikota, Sep 16: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C42 (PSLV) on Sunday successfully injected two foreign satellites - NovaSAR and S1-4- into the orbit. The ISRO workhorse blasted-off from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10.07 pm.

"Today's success once again proves the prowess of PSLV. The credit goes to entire ISRO's team," said ISRO's chairman K Sivan after the launch.

The remaining year is going to be very hectic. We have many launches planned. I thank everyone at the ISRO," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to congratulate ISRO for the successful launch of PSLV C42 with two UK satellites.

Congratulations to our space scientists! ISRO successfully launched PSLV C42, putting two UK satellites in orbit, demonstrating India's prowess in the competitive space business. @isro

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2018

The two satellites, together weighing over 800 kilograms, belong to Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL), UK. The PSLV rocket blasted off from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh today at 10.07 PM.

The mission is a commercial arrangement between the company and Antrix Corporation Limited, which is the commercial wing of ISRO.

The 33-hour countdown for the launch of two earth observation satellites on-board PSLV from the spaceport of Sriharikota began at 1.08 PM on Saturday.

The foreign satellites, meant for forest mapping and flood and disaster monitoring, among other uses, would be released into sun-synchronous orbit at a height of 583 km.