The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched three satellites for Singapore from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Thursday in the nation’s second orbital launch of the year.
The primary payload was the DS-EO satellite, which carries an electro-optic, multi-spectral payload that will provide full color images for land classification, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The Singapore government satellite weighed 365 kilograms.
NeuSAR, which weighed 155 kg, is Singapore’s first small commercial satellite to carry a synthetic aperture radar imaging system capable of providing images in day and night and in all weather conditions.
The third payload was the 2.8 kg Scoob-1 satellite built by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore. SCOOB-I is the first spacecraft in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), a hands-on student training program run by NTU’s Satellite Research Centre.
The flight also made use for the first time of the rocket’s spent fourth stage as a platform for conducing experiments in orbit after payload deployments. POEM carried six payloads including two from Indian Space Start-ups M/s Digantara and M/s Dhruva Space, enabled though IN-SPACe and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
Attitude stabilization is achieved using a dedicated NGC system. POEM derives the power from the solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a Li Ion battery. It navigates using four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyros & NavIC. POEM carries dedicated control thrusters using Helium gas storage. It is enabled with telecommand feature.
The launch was NSIL’s second dedicated commercial mission. It was the 55th mission of PSLV and 15th mission using PSLV-Core Alone variant, and the 16th PSLV launch from Satish Dhawan’s second launch pad.
