PSLV-C45 mission (EMISAT satellite)

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in its 47^th mission of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C45) will launch the primary electronic intelligence satellite, EMISAT, 28 international customer satellites and three scientific instruments, namely, Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO, Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), India and Advanced Retarding Potential Analyzer for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) from the second launch pad of  Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, the spaceport of India.

All about PSLV

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the 3rd generation launch vehicle of India. PSLV is the 1st Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages. It has emerged as the reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle of India after it was launched successfully in October 1994. It has completed 39 consecutively successful missions by June 2017. During the period between 1994-2017, PSLV has launched a total of 48 Indian satellites and 209 satellites for customers from overseas.

Besides, the vehicle successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013 – that later traveled to Moon and Mars respectively.

Technical specifications of PSLV

• It can take up to 1,750 kg of payload to Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbits of 600 km altitude.
• It can take up to 1,750 kg of payload to Geosynchronous and Geostationary orbits.
• Fourth Stage (PS4) is the uppermost stage of PSLV, comprising of two Earth storable liquid engines. Tis stage is fitted with Solar Panels.
• The third stage(PS3) of PSLV is a solid rocket motor that provides the upper stages high thrust after the atmospheric phase of the launch.
• For its second stage(PS2) PSLV uses an Earth storable liquid rocket engine, known as the Vikas engine, developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
• In the first stage (PS1) PSLV uses the S139 solid rocket motor that is augmented by 6 solid strap-on boosters to provide thrust.

Why PSLV C-45 is special?

• This mission is special given that for the first time PSLV will launch satellites in Three different orbits.
• This is the first mission of the PSLV in which its PSLV-QL variant (4 XL Strap-on motors) is
  being flown.
• PSLV C-45 is the first PSLV with the fourth stage (PS4) that uses solar panels to support payloads hosted on it.
• PSLV C-45 is the 71st Launch Vehicle Mission from SDSC SHAR.
• PSLV C-45 is the 47th flight of PSLV.
• PSLV C-45 is the 2nd Launch of 2019.

PSLV C-45 mission starts with the launching of the satellite EMISAT into orbit at 780 km, then it will inject 29 satellites into orbit at 504 km and later the fourth stage (PS4) will move to 485 km orbit to carry out scientific experiments.  It will last 180 minutes from take-off at the Sriharikota launch pad until the PSLV rocket’s fourth stage is put into orbit.

The launch was originally scheduled for 21 March 2019 but was delayed to 1 April to ensure system readiness for a perfect launch.

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Significance of EMISAT satellite

EMISAT is a powerful electronic intelligence/surveillance satellite — developed jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organisation). The satellite can intercept communication signals on the ground and also capture these signals at high-resolution from space.

Other than the EMISAT satellite, the PSLV-C45 rocket will also be launching 28 international satellites from Spain (1), Lithuania (2), Switzerland (1) and the United States (24). All of these international satellites are being launched under commercial arrangements. EMISAT weighs around 436 kgs and is based on ISRO’s Indian Mini Satellite -2 (IMS-2) platform.

PSLV-C45/EMISAT Mission Curtain Raiser video (English)

The PS4 orbital platform is envisaged to provide a microgravity environment for research organizations and academic institutes to perform experiments.

The PS4 hosts following three payloads –

1. Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO – for Maritime satellite applications
   capturing messages transmitted from ships
2. Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite
   Corporation), India – assists amateur radio operators in tracking and monitoring position
   data
3. Advanced Retarding Potential Analyzer for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian
   Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) – for the structural and compositional
   studies of the ionosphere.