ISRO begins countdown for launch of 20 satellites

A 48-hour countdown began on Monday for the launch of record 20 satellites, including India's latest earth observation Cartosat-2 Series Satellite, onboard PSLV C-34 from Sriharikota on June 22.

The countdown began at 9.26 am after the launch authorisation board gave the clearance for the mission on Sundya and the process of filling the fuel was underway, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.

After creating a record in 2008 for placing 10 satellites into various low earth orbits in a single launch, ISRO is all set for the new record of launching 20 satellites, including those from the United States, Germany, Canada and Indonesia.

ISRO's workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is scheduled to lift-off with the satellites at 9.26 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, on June 22.

India's earth observation spacecraft Cartosat-2 Series satellite, which is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B, and 19 co-passenger satellites together weighing about 560 kg at lift-off would be injected into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.

According to ISRO, the total weight of all the 20 satellites is about 1,288 kg.

The co-passengers include satellites from the US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as two satellites from Indian Universities.

The mission would carry LAPAN A3 of Indonesia, BIROS of Germany, SKYSAT GEN 2-1 of US, MVV of Germany among the micro satellites, ISRO sources had earlier said.

Image: The PSLV-C34, two-day before its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Photograph: PTI