ISRO’s PSLV-C56 puts 7 satellites in orbit; four more missions this year

The primary satellite DS-SAR was sponsored by the Government of Singapore; to reduce space debris, PS4 stage brought to a lower orbit so that it re-enters atmosphere in less than two months

Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV-C56 carrying Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite along with 6 co-passenger satellites lifts off from the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, on July 30, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully launched the PSLV-C56 carrying Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite and six other satellites.

The PSLV-C56 carrying the DS-SAR satellite along with six other satellites lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 6.31 a.m.

ISRO launches PSLV-C56 carrying 7 satellites from Sriharikota | Video Credit: ANI

“PSLV-C56 carrying seven satellites including the primary satellite DS-SAR and six co-passengers has been successfully placed in the right orbit. This is a PSLV mission for New Space India Limited [NSIL] and I want to congratulate the customers sponsored by the Government of Singapore for having this mission onboard PSLV and their continued faith in our launch vehicle for deploying their spacecraft,” ISRO Chairman S. Somnath said after the successful launch of the mission.

The DS-SAR satellite is developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.

The co-passengers on the missions are VELOX-AM, a 23 kg technology demonstration microsatellite, ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE) which is an experimental satellite, SCOOB-II, a 3U nanosatellite flying a technology demonstrator payload, NuLIoN by NuSpace, an advanced 3U nanosatellite enabling seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations, Galassia-2, a 3U nanosatellite that will be orbiting at low earth orbit and ORB-12 STRIDER which is a satellite developed under an International collaboration.

After the launcher placed all the seven satellites into a 535 km circular orbit, PS4 stage was brought back to a lower orbit of 295 km x 300 km orbit.

“The stage is purposefully manoeuvred to a 295 km x 300 km orbit. It now spends significantly less time in space, reducing its duration from over two decades to less than two months, before re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. ”ISRO and India remain committed to reduced space debris and sustainable use of space for the benefit of all,” the space research organisation said after the success of the PS4 stage de-orbiting experiment.

Mr. Somnath said ISRO was set to launch four more missions this year which included another PSLV mission in August or early September, the Gaganyaan test vehicle, third development mission of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mission for launching INSAT-3DS.