Isro to launch HysIS, 30 small satellites from 8 countries on Thursday

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is planning to launch India's earth observation satellite Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite (HysIS) and 30 small satellites from eight countries on November 29.

ISRO said that the Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Core Alone variant (PSLV-CA) will fly with the 380 kg HysIS satellite and 30 overseas satellites together weighing 261.5 kg.

The PSLV rocket is a four-stage launch vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages/engines. The entire mission will be completed in just over 112 minutes after the rocket’s liftoff, said Isro sources.

Just over 17 minutes into the flight, the PSLV rocket will place the HysIS satellite with a mission lifespan of five years in 636 km polar sun synchronous orbit. After that, the rocket will be brought to lower altitude to about 503 km from 642 km, said the space agency.

The Indian space agency has earlier done a satellite mission for over two hours in January 2018.

HysIS mission is to study the earth’s surface near infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. 

The co-passengers of HysIS include 1 micro and 29 nano satellites from eight different countries. All these satellites will be placed in a 504 km orbit. While 23 satellites are from the US, the balance is from Australia, Canada, Columbia, Finland, Malaysia, Netherlands and Spain.

These satellites have been commercially contracted for launch through Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of Isro.