India's PSLV-C52 places earth observation satellite EOS-04, two small satellites in orbit

New Delhi, February 14, 2022

India’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C52) successfully injected Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04 and two small rideshare satellites into their intended orbits this morning.

The launch vehicle, with the three satellites on board, lifted off as scheduled at 0559 hours from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, near Chennai, in near textbook conditions.

EOS-4 was injected into its intended sun synchronous orbit of 529 km altitude at 0617 hours, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

This was the 80th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota; the 54th flight of PSLV; and the 23rd flight of PSLV in XL configuration (6 strap-on motors).

EOS-04, realised at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, is a Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry & Plantations, Soil Moisture & Hydrology and Flood mapping.

Weighing about 1710 kg, it generates 2280 W power and has a mission life of 10 years.

The vehicle also placed two small satellites, a student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in association with Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at University of Colorado, Boulder, and a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).

The co-passenger satellites were successfully separated from the PSLV in a pre-determined sequence.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath congratulated team ISRO for the precision with which the mission was accomplished.

NNN