WATCH! ISRO PSLV-C47 successfully launches CARTOSAT-3 satellite, 13 US nano-satellites from Sriharikota

ISRO CARTOSAT-3 PSLV-C47 launch: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully placed into orbit its own earth observation satellite Cartosat-3 and 13 US nano satellites. CARTOSAT-3 satellite, which is the ninth in the series, was launched from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota at the scheduled time of 9.28 am. This was the 74th launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota.

Cartosat-3 is India`s new earth observation satellite up in the sky will send sharp clarity images for urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover and also for strategic/defence purposes. It is most complex and advanced earth imaging satellite built so far, was placed into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after lift-off, the immediate mission after Chandrayaan 2, where the lander crashed while making a soft descent on the lunar surface on September 7.

"Extremely happy to declare PSLV-C47 precisely injected Cartosat-3 and 13 customer satellites in their desired orbit. Cartosat-3 is India`s highest resolution civilian spacecraft that ISRO has built so far," ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said.

Watch CARTOSAT-3, 13 nano-satellites launch below in this tweet video:

#ISRO CARTOSAT-3 Launch : आज फिर ISRO ने रचा इतिहास, श्रीहरिकोटा से लॉन्च होगा सैन्य उपग्रह कार्टोसैट-3...जमीन की 1 फीट से भी कम ऊंचाई की ले सकता है फोटो।#Cartosat3 @AnilSinghvi_ @SwatiKJain pic.twitter.com/JwGySbIQVp

— Zee Business (@ZeeBusiness) November 27, 2019

What is CARTOSAT-3?

CARTOSAT-3 is a third-generation agile satellite with high-resolution imaging capabilities. According to ISRO, this satellite mission will replace the IRS series. The CARTOSAT-3 has a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 metres, which helps it conduct satellite imaging with the highest resolution. The space research organisation said this mission is a huge leap from the previous payloads in the CARTOSAT series.

In the process, India crossed the milestone of putting into orbit 300 foreign satellites. By putting the 13 American nanosatellites into orbit, India till date has launched a total of 310 foreign satellites for a fee. The Indian space agency officials said they would supply the required images for various agencies. It is for the user agent to decide on the image use.

The satellite's payload has the capability of taking sharp pictures with a ground resolution of 0.25 metre in Panchromatic and 1metre ground resolution or ground sample distance (GSD) in 4 Band Multispectral modes with a swath of 16 km, said ISRO.

The Indian space agency also said Cartosat-3 has many new technologies/elements like highly agile structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics, dual gimbal antenna and others.

According to ISRO, 12 of the US nanosatellites are named as FLOCK-4P are earth observation satellites and the 13th is called MESHBED, a communication testbed satellite. The PSLV-XL is a four-stage/engine expendable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively. The rocket has six strap-on booster motors to give additional thrust during the initial flight stages.