India’s First Three-Orbit Mission With Solar-Powered Fourth Stage: ISRO To Launch PSLV-C45 On 1 April

In its first three-orbit mission that launches satellites into three different orbits, ISRO is set to launch PSLV-C45 on 1 April 2019, reports Times of India.

ISRO will place advanced electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT along with 28 commercial satellited in the orbit.

At first the launch was scheduled on 4 March but was delayed. Explaining the cause behind the delay, ISRO chairman K Sivan said that internal system readiness and other technical factors were addressed as PSLV-C45 is the first three-orbit mission of ISRO and first to use solar panel in rocket fourth stage (PS4).

Confirming the launch scheduled on 1 April, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director S Somanath said that so far ISRO had only conducted two-orbit missions.

“After launch of electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT into orbit at 780 km, it will inject 28 guest satellites into orbit at 504 km. Then rocket fourth stage (PS4) instead of burning out, will automatically reorient itself to establish an orbital platform at 485 km orbit to carry out scientific experiments,” he said.

Following this mission, PSLV-C46 will launch Cartosat-3 and PSLV-C47 will launch RISAT-2BR 1. While former is a remote sensing satellite, latter is a radar imaging satellite for reconnaissance and strategic surveillance.