ISRO gearing up for launch of small satellite launch vehicles: Sivan

Indian Space Research Organisation is gearing up for a series of missions, including launch of small satellite launch vehicles, chairman K Sivan said on Saturday. He made the comments after the successful launch of earth observation satellite - EOS-01- and nine customer satellites onboard its Polar rocket, PSLV-C49, from this spaceport, about 110 km from Chennai. 

Addressing the scientists at the Mission Control Centre, he said "..we have started this mission (PSLV-C49/EOS-01) after COVID pandemic. Now we have a series of missions on our hands. Immediately we are going to have the PSLV-C50. It is going to launch satellite CMS01 then we will be having the new vehicle SSLV, the first development flight." 

According to ISRO, those satellites which weigh less and come with limited launch options, can be sent on Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs). The earth observation satellite sent on PSLV-C49 was weighing around 630 kg. 

Currently, small satellites are sent along with other big satellites which are launched using ISRO's trusted workhorse polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLVs) or Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Sivan said ISRO was also planning to launch Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle GSLV-F10 carrying earth observation satellite -- EOS-03. "I am sure team ISRO will always rise to the occasion and meet the requirements as per the demand put on them," he said. 

Meanwhile, in a press release, ISRO said following the successful launch of the PSLV-C49/EOS-01 on Saturday, the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network at Bengaluru assumed control of the earth observation satellite which is the primary satellite.

"In the coming days, the satellite will be brought to its final operational configuration," the release said. EOS-01, an earth observation satellite, is intended for applications in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. The nine customer satellites are from Lithuania, Luxembourg and USA were launched under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Ltd.