The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its
thirtieth flight (PSLV-C28), launched three identical DMC3 optical earth
observation satellites built by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited
(SSTL), United Kingdom (UK). The three DMC3 satellites, each weighing
447 kg, launched into a 647 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) using the
high-end version of PSLV (PSLV-XL) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre,
Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR), the spaceport of India. PSLV-C28 will be the
ninth flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration.
The PSLV-C28, in addition to the three DMC3
satellites, also carried two auxiliary satellites from UK, viz., CBNT-1,
a technology demonstrator earth observation micro satellite built by
SSTL, and De-OrbitSail, a technology demonstrator nano satellite built
by Surrey Space Centre.
With the overall lift-off mass of the five
satellites amounting to about 1440 kg, this mission becomes the heaviest
commercial mission undertaken by Antrix/ISRO till date.
Accommodating the three DMC3 satellites each with a
height of about 3 metre within the existing payload fairing of PSLV,
was a challenge. To mount these satellites onto the launcher, a circular
Launcher adaptor called as L-adaptor and a triangular deck called
Multiple Satellite Adapter-Version 2 (MSA-V2), were newly designed and
realized by ISRO for this specific purpose.
These international customer satellites have been
launched as part of the arrangement entered into between DMC
International Imaging (DMCii), a wholly owned subsidiary of SSTL, UK;
and Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), the commercial arm of Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a Government of India Company under
Department of Space.
DMC3
The DMC3 constellation, comprising of three
advanced mini-satellites DMC3-1, DMC3-2 and DMC3-3, is designed to
address the need for simultaneous high spatial resolution and high
temporal resolution optical Earth Observation. Launched into a single
Low-Earth Orbit plane and phased with a separation of 120° between them,
these satellites can image any target on the Earth’s surface every day.
Major application areas include surveying the resources on earth and
its environment, managing urban infrastructure and monitoring of
disasters.
CBNT-1, weighing 91 kg, is an optical Earth
Observation technology demonstration micro satellite built by SSTL. The 7
kg De-orbitSail from Surrey Space Centre, is an experimental nano
satellite for demonstration of large thin membrane sail and drag
deorbiting using this sail.
