The space exploration sector has seen significant advancements in recent years, with nations across the globe participating in a kind of ‘space race’ to develop and launch new technology. India, a prominent player in this arena, is paving the way with its successful mission completions, as demonstrated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). One of these missions involves the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C54, which recently made its 56th flight from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This final mission of the year for the PSLV-C54 rocket marks yet another milestone in India’s pursuit of stellar dominance.
The Satellites Launched and their Details
This recent flight was noteworthy due to the various satellites that were launched, starting with the Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B). INS-2B, a joint undertaking between India and Bhutan, included two payloads: NanoMx, a multispectral optical imaging payload engineered by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), and APRS-Digipeater, a collaborative venture between DITT-Bhutan and URSC. This satellite will furnish Bhutan with high-resolution images useful for managing the nation’s natural resources, and foster development as per Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s tech-driven plans.
Another satellite, Anand, is an innovative three-axis stabilized nanosatellite hosting a miniaturized electro-optical payload and numerous subsystems like TTC, power, onboard computer, and ADCS. This technology demonstrator from Pixxel, India, was also successfully placed in orbit.
Astrocast and Thymbolt Satellite
Astrocast, a 3U spacecraft, serves as another technology demonstrator with its Internet of Things (IoT) payload. Out of the four Astrocast Satellites for this mission, each is safeguarded within an ISISpace QuadPack dispenser to protect against contamination. In parallel, the Thymbolt satellite, a 0.5U spacecraft bus, enables rapid technology demonstration and constellation development for various users from Dhruva Space via their Orbital Deployer.
Introducing EOS-6
In addition to these, the Earth Observation Satellite-06 (EOS-06) was also launched. As the third-generation satellite of the Oceansat series, EOS-06 observes ocean colour data, sea surface temperature, and wind vector data, with intended applications in fields such as oceanography, climatology, and meteorology. This satellite can support value-added products like potential fishing zones based on chlorophyll, Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wind speed, and land-based geophysical parameters.
Previous Years Questions about India’s Satellite Launch Vehicles
A look into past examinations, such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, reveals valuable questions about India’s satellite launch vehicles. For instance, in 2018, a question considered the differences between PSLVs and GSLVs in terms of their primary functions and positioning. Another question in 2016 related to ‘Astrosat’, India’s astronomical observatory, and compared its achievements to those of other countries like the USA and Russia. These previous year questions provide a glimpse into the critical role of India’s space exploration program in the broader context of international space research.