ISRO to launch French remote sensing satellite, 4 other satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C23, which will carry five payloads, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR at Sriharikota on 30 June 2014. The vehicle lift-off time is scheduled at 09:49 hrs IST, IRO said in a release.

PSLV-C23 will carry a 714 kg French earth observation satellite SPOT-7 as the main payload. SPOT-7 is an Earth-observing satellite, similar to the Indian Remote Satellite System (IRSS). Four other satellites will also be launched on the same day.

Besides it will carry the 14 kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada, each weighing 15 kg, and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore as co-passengers.

ISRO is using the core-only edition of the PSLV to launch the satellites this time.

The five satellites are being launched under commercial arrangements that ANTRIX has entered into with the respective foreign agencies, ISRO said.

All the five satellites have been integrated with PSLV-C23 and the final phase of checks is progressing. The mission readiness review (MRR) committee and the launch authorisation board (LAB) will meet on 27 June 2014 to review the progress of prelaunch activities. After the clearance from LAB, the 49 hour count down for the mission will commence at 08:49 hrs IST on 28 June 2014.