PSLV C-44 lifts off with just 2 strap-on motors.

भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान केंद्र ने गुरुवार देर रात सैटलाइट कलामसैट और माइक्रोसैट-आर का सफल परीक्षण किया। गुरुवार को प्रक्षेपण के दौरान PSLVC-44 ने इन दो सैटलाइट को लेकर उड़ान भरी, जिसके बाद इसरो ने इस प्रक्षेपण के सफल होने की जानकारी दी। उड़ान के कुछ मिनटों बाद ही इसरो ने माइक्रोसैट-आर को उसकी वांछित कक्षा में स्थापित कर दिया।

आधिकारिक जानकारी के अनुसार, गुरुवार रात करीब 11.37 बजे श्रीहरिकोटा के सतीश धवन स्पेस सेंटर से पोलर सैटलाइट लॉन्च वीकल सी-44 ने माइक्रोसैट-आर और कलामसैट सैटलाइट को उड़ान भरी। इस उड़ान के कुछ देर बात माइक्रोसैट-आर को उसकी कक्षा में स्थापित कर दिया गया। इस बात की जानकारी और एक तस्वीर इसरो ने ट्विटर पर भी शेयर की। गुरुवार रात प्रक्षेपण के सफल होने के बाद इसरो के प्रमुख के सिवन ने इस मिशन के लिए अपनी टीम और सारे देश को बधाई दी।

इसरो प्रमुख ने प्रक्षेपण के बाद दी बधाई
इसरो प्रमुख ने देश के छात्रों को दिया संदेश सैटलाइट लॉन्च के बाद देश के छात्रों को इसके लिए खास बधाई देते हुए सिवन ने कहा, ‘भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान संस्थान देश के सारे छात्रों के लिए हमेशा उपलब्ध है। ऐसे में मैं छात्रों से कहना चाहता हूं कि आप अपनी बनाई सैटलाइट्स को हमारे पास लाएं और हम इसे आप के लिए लॉन्च करने में आपकी मदद करेंगे।’ वहीं पीएम नरेंद्र मोदी ने भी वैज्ञानिकों को पीएसएलवी के इस सफल लॉन्च के लिए अपनी शुभकामनाएं दी।

पूर्व राष्ट्रपति कलाम को किया समर्पित बता दें कि भारतीय छात्रों द्वारा बनाए गए कलामसैट सैटलाइट का नाम पूर्व राष्ट्रपति एपीजे अब्दुल कलाम के नाम पर रखा गया है। यह सैटलाइट दुनिया भर में इसरो का सबसे छोटा सैटलाइट कहा जा रहा है। कलामसैट एक कम्यूनिकेशन सैटलाइट है, जिसकों सिर्फ 12 लाख रुपये में तैयार किया गया है।

रात 11 बजकर 37 मिनट पर हुआ प्रक्षेपण
साल 2019 के पहले प्रक्षेपण में ही मिली सफलता इस खास सैटलाइट को तमिलनाडु के 10वीं कक्षा के छात्रों ने मिलकर तैयार किया है और इसे 28 घंटे के काउंटडाउन के बाद गुरुवार रात 11.37 बजे प्रक्षेपित किया गया है। साल 2019 में पीएसएलवीसी-44 का प्रक्षेपण इसरो का पहला सफल मिशन बताया गया है। इससे पहले 2018 में इसरो ने कई उपग्रहों को सैटलाइट लॉन्च वीकल की मदद से अंतरिक्ष में स्थापित किया था।

Under a starry night and a waning gibbous moon, ISRO’s PSLV C-44 broke the silence over a brimming Pulicat lake as it lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, to successfully place in orbit military satellite Microsat-R.

The mission, with a modified PSLV with just dual strap-on motors (PSLV-DL), marked another first for ISRO – it provided an alternative to its normal six strap-on motors. This will enable the rocket to carry slightly higher payloads than its Core-Alone version.

Towards the end of the first stage, the rocket’s plumes were white with its tail end burning bright red even as a large flock of birds passed on the horizon. A second later, as the rocket soared further into the night sky, the second stage ignition burned a bright orange propelling the rocket ahead.

In low orbit

Microsat-R was placed in orbit 13 and-a-half minutes after lift-off. It is the first time an Indian satellite was being placed by ISRO in a low orbit at an altitude of 274 km.

ISRO also used this launch as an opportunity to demonstrate the usability of the fourth stage of the rocket after the satellites are ejected into orbit. 

Till Thursday night, the fourth stage used to just become yet another piece of space debris. However, ISRO has found a way to make use of this stage with student satellite Kalamsat, made by Space Kidz India, weighing just 1.26kg, attached to it.

“The first mission of 2019 is a grand success,” ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said from Mission Control. “Another innovation is making the fourth stage an experimental platform to do technology demonstrations and carrying out science experiments by students,” he said.

For experiments

This would enable any agency that wants to conducts experiments in space to use the fourth stage till it disintegrates naturally. The fourth stage may be orbiting in space for six months to a year. ISRO is aiming to use this time-frame to enable agencies to run short time experiments.

Mr. Sivan asked students in India to develop such satellites and ISRO would take care of the launches.

He also said ISRO was developing a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), smaller than the PSLV. The first SSLV launch would take place this year, he added. 

ISRO’s pre-launch brochure said, “In PSLV-C44, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle will be moved to higher circular orbit so as to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments.”

The other experiment with the launcher PSLV-C44 vehicle will be a new third variant having two strap-on boosters. Called the PSLV-DL, D standing for demonstration, it ranges between the older two variants.

…………………….PIB

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) successfully injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits. The PSLV-C44 lifted off at 23:37 Hrs (IST) on January 24, 2019 from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota in its 46^thflight.

About 13 minutes 26 seconds after lift-off, Microsat-R was successfully injected into intended orbit of 274 km. After injection, two solar arrays of the satellite were deployed automatically and ISRO Telemetry Tracking & Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bengaluru assumed control of the satellite.

Subsequently, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle was moved to a higher circular orbit of 453 km after two restarts of the stage, to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments. Kalamsat-V2, a student payload, first to use PS4 as an orbital platform, was taken to its designated orbit about 1 hour and 40 minutes after lift-off.

This flight marked the first mission of PSLV-DL, a new variant of PSLV with two strap-on motors.

In the previous PSLV launch on November 29, PSLV-C43 had successfully launched India’s HysIS as well as 30 customer satellites from abroad.

In his post-launch address, Chairman Dr K Sivan said the PSLV-C44 mission was unique as it was for the first time ISRO used the last stage of the rocket as a platform to perform experiments in space.

“I hope the student community will make use of this opportunity being provided by ISRO. This new low cost technology will help students to conduct several inspiring experiments in space by attaching their instruments to the last stage of the rocket,” Dr Sivan said.

He congratulated Kalamsat-V2 team for their perfection in making satellites. “We must strive for science-oriented India. ISRO is open to all students across India. We want students to bring their satellites to us and we will launch them. Young scientists will shape the future of India,” Dr Sivan said.

He also introduced the Kalamsat-V2 team. Mission Director Shri R. Hutton thanked the entire PSLV-C44 team for their relentless efforts in making the launch successful.

Earlier on January 24, 2019, Dr Sivan held the third edition of Samwad with Students (SwS) in Sriharikota. Over 300 students from schools in and around the region had an opportunity to interact with him.

SwS is the newly-launched outreach initiative of ISRO to instill scientific temper among youngsters. The first edition was held in Bengaluru on January 1, 2019 and the second one at Kochi on January 20, 2019.

“Concentrate on the present with full sincerity. Dilemmas will disappear. A good student is not afraid of failure. Failures are important for learning as they open up new avenues,” Dr Sivan told the SwS participants.

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