ISRO launched 104 satellites on a single rocket from Andhra Pradesh today, a feat that makes India the first country to successfully do so. The incredible step was carried out on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C37 at 9:28 am today. In case you’re still a little lost, here’s a few points summing it all up:
1. After the launch of 23 satellites in a single rocket back in June 2015, this is the second successful attempt from ISRO.
2. At 44.4 meters tall, the rocket weighed about 320 tonnes at lift-off.
3. All 104 satellites were released into space, at speeds of about 40 times faster than an average passenger airline, within 18 minutes.
4. Weighing 714 kg, the Earth-mapping Cartosat 2 series satellite was the main passenger on the PSLV-C37.
5. ISRO had also made two Nano satellites for international customers that were launched after the Cartosat-2 into the polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.
6. The PSLV-C37 is on its 39th mission and was carrying several satellites belonging to international customers.
7. Of the 104 satellites, 96 of them belonged to the US, while other countries included Netherlands, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Israel.
8. The PSLV-C37 housed 96 small satellites of a San Francisco-based company named Planet Inc. These satellites, called ‘Doves’, are to be used for low-cost imaging of the earth.
