Sriharikota: In a textbook mission, India’s workshorse launch vehicle PSLV-C50 today successfully injected communication satellite CMS-01 in the precise orbit.
After a 25-hour countdown, during which propellant filling operations were carried out in the 44.4 m tall four-stage launch vehicle, PSLV-C50 took off majestically from the Second Launch Pad at 3.41 pm from the SHAR Range here.
About 20 minutes after the lift off, the CMS-01 satellite was successfully injected into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) after the ignition and separation of all the four stages.
Addressing the scientits from the Mission Control Centre, a beaming ISRO Chairman K Sivan said ‘I am extremely
happy to declare that PSLV-C50 has successfully injected CMS-01 precisily in the pre-defined sub-GTO orbit. The satellite is functioning very well and in another four days from now, it will be placed in the specific slot in the GTO,’ he added.
Subsequently, this satellite will function as a continuation of GSAT satellite launched 11 years back, Sivan said.
‘I am sure that this satellite will do all the functions as planned’, he added.
Attributing today’s excellent success to the hard work and dedicated effort by team ISRO, Sivan said the launch vehicle team and the satellite team tirelessly worked during the pandemic condition with a minimum number of team and done to job.
‘Kudos to team ISRO for launch vehicle and satellite teams’, he said.
With a mission life of seven years, CMS-01 is a communication satellite envisaged for providing services in extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum.
The extended-C Band coverage will include Indian mainland, Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
CMS-01 is the 42nd Communication Satellite of India.
PSLV-C50 is the 22nd flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration (with six strap-on motors).
This is the 77th launch mission for ISRO from the spaceport of Sriharikota and the 52nd Flight of the PSLV.
This is also the second mission for ISRO in 2020 after its launch schedules were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On November seven, PSLV successfully launched EOS-01 and nine international customer satellites from Sriharikota.