The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch a communication satellite on Thursday, 17 December at 3.41 pm IST from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. The communication satellite CMS-01 will be onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C50). The launch date was supposed to be 7 December but was pushed back to the 8 December and then to 14 December because of bad weather and the possibilities of hurricanes, Ennadu reported. Yesterday, the PSLV-C50 along with the CMS-01 was moved to the launch pad in preparation for launch day.

The PSLV-C50/CMS-01 ready for lift-off on 17 December. Image credit: ISRO

PSLV-C50 is the 22nd flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration and the 52nd PSLV flight. ISRO added that this will be the 77th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR. The PSLV is 44-metre-high and has four stages with six strap-on booster motors on to the first stage that gives its a higher thrust during the initial flight moments. ISRO has different PSLV variants that have either two and four strap-on motors and the Core Alone variant without any strap-on motors. As the PSLV is not a reusable rocket, the first stage won't be reclaimed and it will crash into the Indian Ocean.

About the payload

ISRO is launching the CMS-01 which is a communication satellite that will provide services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum. ISRO, in a statement, said that the Extended-C Band coverage will include Indian mainland, Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

Twenty minutes into the flight, it will be set in the Geostationary Orbit (GEO) at 83° inclination. CMS-01 is the 42nd Communication Satellite of India and weighs 1,410 kgs. It will be replacing the ageing GSAT-12 satellite that was launched in 2011, according to a report by Everyday Astronaut. The expected mission life of this spacecraft is supposed to be seven years or more.

According to IANS, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan had earlier stated that the PSLV-C50 rocket launch will be followed by the launch of the new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) carrying the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-02) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10 (GSLV) carrying the EOS-3. The other Indian satellites that are ready for launch are GISAT and Microsat-2A.

With input from wires



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