The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on July 29 that it is fully prepared for the launch of PSLV-C56, scheduled for July 30, which will carry Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite along with six other co-passenger satellites. DS-SAR is an Earth Observation Satellite equipped with Radar Imaging capabilities.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), standing at 44.4 meters tall, is set to take off from the first launch pad at Sriharikota, situated approximately 135 km from Chennai. This mission, named PSLV-C56/DS-SAR, is a dedicated commercial venture conducted by NewSpace India Ltd, ISRO’s commercial arm.
This launch follows the successful PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission, which took place in April, catering to customers in Singapore on behalf of ISRO. The countdown for PSLV-C56/DS-SAR commenced on Saturday, leading up to the launch at 6:30 am on July 30, 2023. This will be the 58th flight of PSLV and the 17th vehicle with Core Alone Configuration.
The DS-SAR satellite, weighing 360 kg, is a result of collaboration between the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) representing the Government of Singapore, and ST Engineering, Singapore. Once deployed, DS-SAR will provide satellite imagery support to various agencies within the Singaporean Government. It is equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, enabling all-weather day and night coverage with imaging capabilities at 1-meter resolution.
Unlike other variants of PSLV such as PSLV-XL, QL, and DL, the Core Alone version of PSLV-C56 will not utilize solid strap-on motors on its sides in the first stage.
In addition to DS-SAR, the PSLV-C56 mission will carry six co-passenger satellites: VELOX-AM, a 23 kg technology demonstration microsatellite; ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE), an experimental satellite; SCOOB-II, a 3U nanosatellite carrying a technology demonstrator payload NuLIoN by NuSpace; an advanced 3U nanosatellite enabling seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations; Galassia-2, another 3U nanosatellite to be orbiting at low earth orbit; and ORB-12 STRIDER, a satellite developed under international collaboration.
The launch of PSLV-C56/DS-SAR marks another significant milestone for ISRO’s commercial ventures and its contribution to the international space community.
