ISRO launches PSLV-C34 carrying 20 satellites including Cartosat: 10 key facts to know

In a historic launch, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched PSLV-C34 carrying 20 satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

This is the first time the ISRO has launched more than 10 satellites with a single rocket. In 2008, the ISRO had launched 10 satellites with the PSLV rocket.

The country's most trusted work horse PSLV rocket tore into the morning skies at 9:26 am with a growl breaking free of the earth's gravitational pull. The satellite launch vehicle stands 44.4 metre tall and weighs 320 tonne.

Below are 10 important facts to know:

1. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its 36th flight (PSLV-C34), carried the country's main cargo Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. The cargo weighs 725.5 kg and is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B.
2. Apart from Cartosat, the co-passenger satellites are from USA, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune.
3. The 20 satellites together weighed 1,288 kg.
4. The images sent by Cartosat satellite will be useful for cartographic, urban, rural, coastal land use, water distribution and other applications.
5. According to ISRO, the 110 kg SkySat Gen2-1 belonging to Terra Bella, a Google company is a small earth imaging satellite capable of capturing sub-metre resolution imagery and high definition video.
6. The Planet Lab's Dove Satellites are also earth imaging satellites. A total of 12 Dove satellites each weighing 4.7 kg are carried in this mission inside three QuadPack dispensers, ISRO said.
7. The PSLV rocket also carries 85 kg M3MSat from Canada. The technology demonstration mission is jointly funded and managed by Defence Research and Development Canada and the Canadian Space Agency.
8. The other foreign satellites on board are: 120 kg LAPSN-A3 of Indonesia, the 130 kg BIROS, from German Aerospace Centre, Germany and the 25.5 kg GHGSat-D, Canada.
9. On the other hand, the 1.5 kg Sathyabamasat from Sathyabama University will collect data on green house gases while the 1 kg Swayam satellite from College of Engineering, Pune will provide point-to-point messaging services to the HAM radio community.
10. Till date India has launched 57 foreign satellites successfully.

(With inputs from agencies)