ISRO to set record by launching 103 satellites in a single rocket

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to make a world record by launching the most number of satellites in one go. The space agency is gearing up to launch 103 satellites in February, a feat which no other space agency in the world has achieved. 
 

Of the 103, 100 are foreign satellites and three from India. ISRO will use PSLV-C37, the most reliable rocket, to lift up the satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The whole process will take one month, and launch will complete by March. 
 

"The aim is not to set a record but to do it successfully. The real complexity lies in the actual orientation, precision, angle and time interval of separation of satellites. We will have to make sure that none of the satellites collides with each other during separation," director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) K Sivan said. 
 

To achieve the feat successfully, ISRO plans to separate satellites in different stages, in different relative velocities and directions. "This is just like any other PSLV mission, and no technical changes have been made to the rocket," Sivan said. 
 

The space agency was initially planning to launch 83 satellites but later decided to add 20 more to the list. Of them 80 satellites belong to Israel, Netherlands, the US, Kazakhstan and Switzerland and they together weighed 500kg. Indian satellites scheduled for launch are Cartosat-2 series of 730 kg and INS-1B and INS-IA weighing 30 kg. Personal best of ISRO is 20 satellites in a go. 
 

Though the launch date is yet to be fixed, it is expected that the D-day might be February 15. 
 

The total payload mass will be 1, 350 kg and is within the capability of PSLV. The total weight of satellites will be 500 to 600 kg. The PSLV C-37 mission is not a unique one considering the payload mass and mission duration. 
 

The launch will be a major feat in the space history of the country as no exercise of the scale was attempted earlier. 
 

• ISRO
• VSSC
• rocket launch
• satellites
• foreign satellite
• PSLV
• Cartosat-2