Isro to launch US Satellite NISAR in 2021

Indian space research agency to launch 10 satellites every year, at least 2 would be using GSLV

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will launch NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) using its GSLV-Mk II rocket in 2021.

“As a part of cooperation with NASA (US space agency), we will be launching a satellite using GSLV-Mk II in 2021,” said A S Kiran Kumar, chairman, Isro, adding that Isro’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation would target the two-tonne satellites market.

According to Kumar, Isro has to repeat the launch success of its GSLV Mk II rocket to gain the confidence of satellite owners.

Around 10 satellites have been identified for launch using GSLV-Mk II.

 

Isro will be launching four nano-satellites from the US as a piggy back luggage for its Astrosat, scheduled to be launched next month through its workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

“We are now targeting Astrosat, which has got a number of science payloads. This is a unique satellite because it has got many observations on a common platform.”said Kumar.

 

We are targeting to launch it in the last week of September. We are also planning to launch the remaining three IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) satellites by December 2015, February 2016 and March 2016,”

Meanwhile, Isro officials said the space agency was gearing up to have at least 10 launches every year, of which two would be using GSLV rockets. This comes on the backdrop of successful launches of GSLV.

On Thursday, Isro successfully launched India’s communication satellite GSAT-6 using its heavy rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle or GSLV-D6. This is the second consecutive success with indigenous cryogenic engine capable of carrying 2-2.5 tonne class of spacecraft.