India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-23 on Monday successfully put five foreign satellites into orbit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Space Research Organisation’s spaceport in Sriharikota.
In a smooth 20-minute mission, the ISRO launched the 714-kg French earth observation satellite SPOT-7, the 14-kg German AISAT, the two 15-kg Canadian NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) and the 7-kg Singapore VELOX-1. Following a “perfect” lift-off at 9.52 a.m., the PSLV-C23’s four stages came to life and fell off as programmed — the 4-storey heat shield which protected the satellites from turbulence, split in two and fell into the Bay of Bengal. Soon, all five were in their slots at a height of more than 660 km.
Observing that 40 of the 67 PSLV satellites were put into orbit from 19 foreign countries, Mr. Modi said it was “a global endorsement of India’s capabilities”.