Sriharikota, April 1: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday successfully launched the electronic intelligence satellite-EMISAT and 28 other foreign satellites from Sriharikota. The EMISAT satellite, of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), is aimed at electromagnetic measurement. The mission will mark several firsts to the credit of the space agency as it would manoeuvre satellites in various orbits and orbital experiments including on maritime satellite applications. The four-stage PSLV-C45 blasted off from the second launch pad at the spaceport of Sriharikota, at 9.27 AM on Monday. Here's All You Need to Know About EMISAT-the Electronic Intelligence Satellite.

After the successful launch on Monday, Ex-chairman of ISRO, G Madhavan Nair said, PSLV-C45 is a very imp milestone for ISRO and added saying that it's not only going to launch our own satellite but also those from other nations. "Uniqueness of this mission is,it's going to place satellites in 3 different orbits.I hope it'll be 100% success as usual", he added.

The entire mission will take about 180 minutes from the rocket's lift off time of 9.27 a.m. After putting the Emisat into orbit, the rocket will be brought down to put the 28 foreign satellites- 24 from the US, two from Lithuania and one each from Spain and Switzerland -- in orbit at an altitude of 504 km. A 27-hour countdown for the launch of India’s EMISAT satellite began on Sunday. ISRO said the countdown began at 6.27 am for the launch on board Indian Space Research Organisation’s third generation workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its 47th flight. ISRO Goes the NASA Way! Builds Stadium For People to Watch Rocket Launches, Get More Details Here. 

Here's the video:

About 17 minutes after the take-off at 9.27 a.m., the rocket ejected the 436 kg EMISAT into a 749 km orbit. The other 28 satellites will weigh about 220 kg. With the successful launch today, India has successfully lifted and put into orbit 297 foreign satellites till date. Reports inform that India will also launch two more defence satellites sometime in July or August with its new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket.

Watch Video Here:

According to ISRO, a new variant of the rocket PSLV-QL equipped with four Strap-On motors in the first stage is used for the launch. PSLV, also used in India’s two key missions — “Chandrayan” in 2008 and Mars Orbiter in 2013, is a reliable and versatile launch vehicle for ISRO with 39 consecutive successful flights till June, 2017 and five-in-a row from January 2018.

According to reports, the previous launches by the space agency this year include the imaging satellite Microsat-R for military purpose along with 1.2 kg Kalamsat in January onboard PSLV-C44. In February, ISRO launched India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 from the European launch service provider Ariane from French Guiana.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 01, 2019 09:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).