Indian space agency ISRO crossed a new milestone on Monday in launching third party satellites by slinging three foreign satellites into orbit, reaching a total of 25 satellite launches.
The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) touched the 25-satellite launch score when Algerian remote sensing satellite Alsat-2A (116 kg) and two nano satellites - NLS 6.1 AISSAT-1 weighing 6.5 kg built by University of Toronto, Canada and one-kg NLS 6.2 TISAT built by University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland - were placed in orbit successfully.
With Monday's successful launch, ISRO with its PSLV rocket once again proved its capability in multiple satellite launches and also in different orbits - polar sun synchronous, geosynchronous transfer orbit, and highly elliptical and low earth orbits.
ISRO has been carrying out multiple launches for several years and in 2008 set a world record by launching 10 satellites at one go.
The Indian space agency started carrying foreign luggage in its PSLV rockets in 1999 when it launched the 110 kg Kitsat-3 of South Korea and the 45 kg DLR-Tubsat of Germany.
Initially, the foreign payloads were taken as additional luggage piggy-backing on ISRO's own satellite mainly to utilise the available cargo space and in the process earn some revenue.
Subsequently ISRO designed its 'core alone' version of PSLV - a lighter rocket without the usual six strap on motors that gives additional thrust during the initial flight stages.
{{/usCountry}}Subsequently ISRO designed its 'core alone' version of PSLV - a lighter rocket without the usual six strap on motors that gives additional thrust during the initial flight stages.
{{/usCountry}}The heaviest foreign payload that ISRO has launched with its PSLV is the 350-kg Italian satellite Agile in 2007.
However, the big money for ISRO is in the launch of heavier communication satellites that weigh a minimum three tonnes.
As PSLV's maximum carrying capacity is around 1,750 kg, the Indian space agency has developed another rocket - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - for launching satellites that weigh more than two tonnes.
The fully Indian built GSLV rocket - the ones without the Russian made cryogenic engine - is still in the test phase. The GSLV rocket with Indian made cryogenic engine in April this year ended in the Bay Bengal owing to component failure.