ISRO to launch Singapore's earth observation satellite today. Details

PSLV-C56 mission: ISRO to launch Singapore's earth observation satellite on Sunday, check details

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for another milestone in its space exploration journey. On Sunday, July 30, 2023, ISRO will launch the PSLV-C56 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The rocket will carry seven satellites, including the primary payload DS-SAR, a radar imaging earth observation satellite for Singapore.

DS-SAR stands for Dedicated Synthetic Aperture Radar. It is a 360 kg satellite developed under a partnership between DSTA, representing the Government of Singapore, and ST Engineering, a Singapore-based engineering company. DS-SAR will be launched into a near-equatorial orbit (NEO) at an altitude of 535 km and an inclination of 5 degrees. This orbit will allow the satellite to have frequent coverage over the equatorial region, which is of strategic interest for Singapore.

DS-SAR will carry a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. This payload will enable the satellite to provide all-weather day and night coverage and to capture high-resolution images of up to 1 meter at full polarimetry. This capability will allow the Singapore government to assess damage caused by natural disasters, monitor land use, track deforestation, and support security and defense operations. Commercial customers can also utilize the satellite for purposes such as oil and gas exploration, agriculture monitoring, and infrastructure assessment.

Along with DS-SAR, the PSLV-C56 rocket will also carry six co-passenger satellites from various countries and organizations. These are:

- VELOX-AM: A 23 kg technology demonstration microsatellite from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. It will test a novel attitude control system and a micro-propulsion system.
- ARCADE: A 12 kg experimental satellite from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, Canada. It will study the atmospheric coupling and dynamics in the upper atmosphere.
- SCOOB-II: A 3 kg nanosatellite from SatRevolution S.A., Poland. It will fly a technology demonstrator payload for optical communication and inter-satellite links.
- NuLIoN: A 3 kg nanosatellite from NuSpace, Singapore. It will enable seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations using a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN).
- Galassia-2: A 3 kg nanosatellite from National University of Singapore. It will orbit at low earth orbit and perform various experiments such as measuring ionospheric scintillation and testing a quantum key distribution system.
- ORB-12 STRIDER: A 1 kg nanosatellite developed under an international collaboration between OrbAstro Ltd., UK, and Space Development Nexus, India. It will demonstrate autonomous formation flying and collision avoidance using artificial intelligence.

The PSLV-C56 mission is a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which is the commercial arm of ISRO. NSIL has procured the launch service from ISRO for ST Engineering, which is the customer of DS-SAR. This mission will demonstrate the capabilities of the PSLV rocket and the latest technologies from both countries. It will also be the first time that India has launched a satellite for Singapore.

The launch is scheduled for 6:30 am IST on Sunday, July 30, 2023. The countdown has commenced at the launch site and all preparations are going on smoothly. The mission can be watched live on ISRO's official website or YouTube channel . You can also follow ISRO's Twitter account for live updates.

This mission follows the successful launch of PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission in April this year, which also catered to customers in Singapore by placing four satellites into orbit. ISRO has been expanding its presence in the global space market by offering reliable and cost-effective launch services to various countries and organizations. With this mission, ISRO will further strengthen its international collaborations in space research and applications.

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