ISRO, the space agency of India, has always made our country proud, by contributing in the field of space exploration and satellite technology. With its incredible accomplishments and pioneering missions, the national space agency has successfully showcased India’s capabilities and expertise in the realm of space exploration.
In recent news, ISRO garnered widespread attention for two significant achievements, the successful launch of the Chandrayaan 3 Spacecraft and testing of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System, which is being developed to carry out human spaceflight.
Yesterday, the space agency announced that India would launch a PSLV-C56 carrying DS-SAR satellite from Singapore, along with six co-passenger satellites, from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 30.
The PSLV-C56 will be launched in its core-alone mode, similar to the configuration used in C55. It will carry the 360kg weighing DS-SAR satellite to a Near-equatorial Orbit (NEO) with a 5 degrees inclination at an altitude of 535 km.
The DS-SAR satellite is a joint project between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering. Once it is launched and starts functioning, its main purpose will be to provide satellite imagery support for different government agencies in Singapore.
On the other hand, ST Engineering will make use of the DS-SAR satellite for multi-modal and highly responsive imagery and geospatial services to their commercial customers that require precise and timely geospatial data. .
DS-SAR houses a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, which is developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This allows the DS-SAR to provide data during all-weather day and night coverage. The satellite is also capable of imaging at 1m-resolution at full polarimetry.
On Monday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) tweeted that the New Space India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector undertaking under the Department of Space, acquired the PSLV-C56 to launch the 360-kg DS-SAR satellite from DSTA & ST Engineering, Singapore.
The PSLV has a proven track record of successful launches, and this upcoming mission will definitely add to its legacy. The NSIL’s initiative to collaborate and partner with other space agencies and organisations worldwide is applaudable and contributes to the advancement of space research and technology on a global scale.
