Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

ISRO launches mapping satellite, 13 US nano satellites

INDIAN Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday (27) successfully injected into orbit its earth imaging and mapping satellite CARTOSAT-3 along with 13 commercial nano satellites from the US.

ISRO Chairman K Sivan described today's launch as a "wonderful success."


With cloudy skies in the back ground, the 44.4 metre tall PSLV C47 rocket lifted off majestically at 9.28 am from the second launch pad at this spaceport here.

CARTOSAT-3, India's most complex and advanced earth imaging satellite built so far, was placed into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after lift-off, the immediate mission after Chandrayaan 2, where the lander crashed while making a soft descent on the lunar surface on September 7.

All the 13 nano satellites from the US were released into the orbit at 26 minutes and 56 seconds after liftoff, ISRO said.

Sivan and other scientists broke into cheers as the earth imaging and mapping satellite was injected precisely into the desired orbit.

Later, speaking from the Mission Control Centre, Sivan said: "I am extremely happy to declare that PSLV-C47 precisely injected CARTOSAT-3 and 13 customer satellites successfully in the desired orbit of 509 kilometres."

"CARTOSAT-3 is India's highest resolution civilian satellite, and the most complex and advanced earth obvservation satellite ISRO has built so far," he said.

He congratulated the teams behind both the "wonderful" satellite as well as the launch vehicle, besides various review teams and industry partners involved in the mission.

"Let me once again wish or greet the entire ISRO team for a wonderful success," he said referring to Wednesday's launch.

On future missions, the ISRO chief said, "Our hands are full," with 13 missions slated upto March 2020.

"Having achieved such a wonderful mission, you may be asking what next. Our job is very very simple-- we are having 13 missions upto march... comprises of six launch vehicle missions and seven satellite missions (which) we are targeting before March," he said.

Team ISRO will "as usual" rise to the occassion and meet challenges and requirments and make every mission a "grand success," a beaming Sivan said, as relief was writ large on his face since the earlier mission Chandrayaan-2 did not yield the desired results.

Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), S Somanath also lauded the ISRO team.

Describing CARTOSAT-3 satellite's design as "innovative", he said it "witnessed a totally new development in the advanced technological area across the board, in all the domains like the payload, communication systems, optical systems" and so on.

With an overall mass of 1,625 kg, CARTOSAT-3 would address increased user's demands for large scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover.      It will also serve military purposes.

PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors).

The 13 commercial nano-satellites from the US are being carried as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) of the Department of Space.

Among the 13 commercial nano satellites are FLOCK-4P, 12 in numbers, with mission objective of earth observation, and one satellite named MESHBED, whose objective is communication test bed.

ISRO has said this would be the 74th launch vehicle mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

The PSLV is in its 49th mission while PSLV-XL variant on its 21st mission.

CASRTOSAT-3 is the ninth in the Cartosat series and today's launch is the fifth for ISRO in 2019.

More For You

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE is now investigating more than 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects, following years of public criticism and institutional failings in tackling child sexual exploitation.

A new report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has revealed the force has made “significant improvements” in dealing with group-based sexual abuse and related crimes.

Keep ReadingShow less