Sriharikota, Dec 17: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro)'s PSLV-C50 lifted off successfully from the Sriharikota spaceport near Chennai. The rocket is carrying orbiting communication satellite CMS-01 (formerly GSAT-12R).
The rocket lifted at 3:41 p.m. from the second launch pad at the rocket port in Sriharikota, in Andhra Pradesh. After about 20 minutes into its flight, it will eject CMS-01 into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and from there, the satellite will be taken up and positioned in the geosynchronous stationary orbit.
The 44-metre-high four-staged engine, PSLV-C50, is the 22nd flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with six strap-on motors hugging the first stage). It will be the 52nd mission for India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
The PSLV in normal configuration is a four-stage expandable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively, with six booster motors strapped on to the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments.
Isro has PSLV variants with two and four strap-on motors, larger PSLV-XL and the Core Alone variant, without any strap-on motors.The choice of rocket to be used for a mission depends on the satellite's weight and the orbit in which it is to be positioned.
CMS-01 is a communication satellite designed to provide services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum, which will include the Indian mainland, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
It is India's 42nd communication satellite and will have a mission life of seven years.
The CMS-01 will be a replacement for GSAT-12, which weighed 1,410 kg and was launched on July 11, 2011, with a mission life of eight years.
Isro Chairman K Sivan had earlier said the PSLV-C50 rocket will be followed by the launch of new small rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) carrying EOS-02 (Earth Observation Satellite), and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10 (GSLV) carrying EOS-3.
The other Indian satellites that are ready for launch are GISAT and Microsat-2A.
The launch of the GISAT-1 satellite slated for March 5 this year was postponed due to technical reasons a day before the launch.The GISAT-1 satellite will be carried by a GSLV rocket.
The GSLV rocket was dismantled after the launch was called off, and is being refurbished. The rocket's cryogenic engine has been brought down and it is being readied again.
The GSLV carrying GISAT-1 is expected to fly after PSLV C50.
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