ISRO Set for 101st Mission: Countdown for launch of PSLV-C61 mission begins
Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has begun a 22-hour countdown for the launch of its Earth observation satellite aboard a PSLV rocket, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The PSLV-C61 is set for lift-off at 5:59 a.m. on May 18 from the first launch pad at the Sriharikota spaceport. This will mark ISRO’s 101st mission overall and the 63rd flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
“The countdown began at 7:59 a.m. on Saturday and will run for 22 hours,” sources told PTI.
The mission’s primary payload is the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-09 (also known as RISAT-1B), designed to deliver high-resolution images of Earth’s surface in all weather conditions, day and night. This continuous imaging capability is essential for sectors such as agriculture, forest monitoring, disaster management, urban development, and national security.
EOS-09 weighs approximately 1,696.24 kg and will join India’s existing constellation of Earth observation satellites. It is intended to enhance real-time coverage across the nation’s diverse geographical regions.
The satellite is a follow-up to RISAT-1 and mirrors much of its configuration. It complements the data from existing satellites in the Resourcesat, Cartosat, and RISAT-2B series. EOS-09 also serves as a repeat version of EOS-04, launched in 2022, with the goal of providing consistent remote sensing data to support operational applications and increase observation frequency.
Following a flight lasting about 17 minutes, PSLV-C61 will deploy EOS-09 into a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO). After deployment, ISRO scientists plan to use the rocket’s Orbit Change Thrusters (OCT) to lower the satellite’s altitude to a more optimal orbit.
EOS-09 is expected to operate for a mission life of five years. To ensure a responsible end-of-life process, the satellite carries enough fuel to be de-orbited after its operational life ends. It will be guided to a lower orbit where it will safely decay within two years, helping to maintain a space debris-free environment.
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