PSLV 'core-alone' version finds immediate takers; Israeli satellite next
27 Apr 2007
On Monday, the core-alone configured PSLV-C8 lifted off successfully from Sriharikota to put an Italian satellite, Agile, into orbit.
In its normal set up, the PSLV has six strap-on booster motors around the first stage. The core-alone version discards these boosters as they are meant to put higher payloads into orbit.
The PSLV is a four-stage vehicle that is 44 metres tall and weighs 295 tonnes. The core-alone version sheds about 65 tonnes, and weighs in at 230 tonnes.
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Meanwhile, ISRO has also bagged another contract from Israel. An Israeli ultra-violet astronomy telescope will travel on board the indigenously developed GSLV (Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Sriharikota in 2008. The GSLV launch is slated to carry the Indian GSAT-4 satellite. The Israeli ultra-violet astronomy telescope is called TAUVEX (Tel Aviv University Ultra-violet Experiment.)
It would appear that the space agency's marketing arm, Antrix Corporation, has found another client for the core-alone version. A year-end launch, slated to carry an Indian satellite Cartosat-2A into orbit, will also let a cluster of six micro-satellites from Canada piggyback on the same launch. Together, these six micro-satellites will weigh only 26 kg. The Cartosat-2A will be used for mapping purposes.
These confirmations come on the back of an announcement by ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair, immediately after Monday's successful PSLV launch, that ISRO was planning three more year end launches.
"We are targeting a re-launch of the GSLV, which failed last year, one PSLV with Cartosat and hopefully another commercial launch in the PSLV."