Countdown begins for PSLV-C35/SCATSAT-1 Mission

On Saturday, countdown began for the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Monday launch of SCATSAT-1 for ocean and weather related studies along with seven other satellites, including from the US and Canada.

The 48-and-a-half-hour countddown for PSLV-C35/SCATSAT-1 Mission started at 8:42 am, the ISRO said on its website, adding this is the first mission of PSLV in which it will be launching its payloads into two different orbits.

PSLV-C35 will be launched from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (Sriharikota High Altitude Range), Sriharikota at 9:12 am on September 26, it said.

In its 37th flight, India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C35, will launch the 377 kg SCATSAT-1 for ocean and weather related studies and seven co-passenger satellites into Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

The co-passenger satellites are from the US, Canada and Algeria besides from Indian Universities.

While SCATSAT-1 will be placed into a 720 km Polar SSO, the two Academic Institute Satellites and the five foreign satellites will be placed into a 670 km polar orbit, the space agency said.