India Makes It Big: ISRO Sets World Record By Launching 104 Satellites On A Single Rocket
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) today made history by creating a world record of setting 104 satellites into the orbit. PSLV-C37, the heaviest PSLV launched Earth-mapping Cartosat 2 series satellite weighing 700 Kg. along with 103 nano satellites belonging to UAE, US, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland etc. With this successful launch India becomes world’s first country to set more than 100 satellites with a single rocket. Last record was held by Russia when in 2014 it launched 37 satellites in single go.
The PSLV rocket was launched from Srihsarikota space centre in east India. The Cartosat 2 series satellite is capable of taking high resolution pictures and India may use it to keep a watch on neighboring countries like China and Pakistan. For last two decades India has been focusing more on its space research program. ISRO is already working on mission to moon (Chanderyaan) and mission to Mars (Mangalyaan). Mangalyaan, a $74 million mission made India the first country in the world to have successfully launched its mission to Mars on the very first attempt.
For the first time India has used Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) and whole process was completed in 26 minutes. A reusable launch system is capable of launching satellites into space more than once which means it can be used again and again to set satellites in the orbit. In 2016 India successfully launched its own space shuttle and joined the league of few countries in the world to have this capability.
With this feather in cap India seems to take the commercial rocket & space industry by storm.
Video Credit: Doordarshan
