India launches eight satellites into two different orbits

NEW DELHI: India on Monday, Sep 26 successfully launched eight satellites from one rocket into two different orbits, Hindustan Times reported.

The mission was the longest for the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV C-35) that lifted off from Sriharikota at 9:12am carrying eight satellites.

Out of the total eight satellites, three belong to India, including the weather satellite SCATSAT-1, three belong to Algeria, and one each belong to Canada and the United States.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the ISRO on the successful launch.

“Our space scientists keep scripting history,” added Modi.

Modi has often hailed India’s budget space technology, quipping in 2014 that a local rocket that launched four foreign satellites into orbit had cost less to make than Hollywood film Gravity.

Two of the satellites are student-made. Pratham, a 10-kg satellite, will help improve GPS accuracy and predict tsunamis. Pisat, a 5.25kg satellite, will take pictures of earth. The 371kg Scatsat-1 can study oceans, forecast weather and detect cyclones.

The business of putting commercial satellites into space for a fee is growing as phone, Internet and other companies as well as countries seek greater and more high-tech communications. India is competing with other international players for a greater share of that launch market, and is known for its low-cost space programme.