Once again India's PSLV delivered to orbit on Wednesday ( 7th December, 2016) the country's third space mission dedicated to mapping of natural resources creating a record year for Indian launch hitory.
The Resurcesat-2A was launched by India's PSLV rocket ( PSLV-C36) in its 38th flight successfully at 10:25 hrs IST on 7th December, 2016. The satellite weighed 1235 Kg.
The 36 hur count down began on monday and the ground crew filled the PSLV's second and fourth stages with liquid fuels. The PSLV-C36 lifted off at 04:55 GMT and climbed through a heavy rain shower and low clouds from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Center with 1.7 million pounds of thrust.
The first four of the 12 meter auxiliary motors ( strap-on motors ) burned out and jettisoned around 70 seconds after lift-off followed by release of the last pair of boosters at T+92 seconds. The first stage of the rocket consumed the solid propellant by T+1 minute and 50 seconds giving way to the Rocket's hydrazine-burning second stage Vikas Engine around 74 kilometers above Earth for a firing which lasted about 2 and 1/2 minutes with 1,80,000 pounds of thrust. The onboard computers began closed-loop guidance during the second stage burn and the rocket's 3.2 meter diameter payload fairing fell down from the rocket at T+150 seconds.
The PSLV headed eastwards first and then turned south in a "dogleg" maneuver to avoid flying over Sri Lanka accelerating to orbital velocity over Indian Ocean. Once the Vikas Engine ( second stage ) emptied its 42 metric tonne supply of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants, the third stage ignited around T+4 minutes 23 seconds for nearly two minutes and then coasted off until separating from the Rocket's fourth stage at around T+ 8 minutes 41 seconds.
The twin engine liquid fueled fourth stage took control of the mission at T+ 8 minutes 51 seconds for an eight minute firing to obtain proper velocity to enter the targeted polar orbit. Resourcesat-2A was separated at around 18 minutes after lift-off.
The Resourcesat-2A will track agriculture, water resources, soil contamination and the growth of Indian cities. This is a follow up for Resourcesat 1 and Resourcesat 2 launched earlier in 2003 and 2011. The spacecraft was put into an orbit of 823 Kms high at an inclination of 98.7 degrees to equator.
The PSLV-C36 launched on wednesday demonstrated several upgrades to the PSLV's avionics systems including the improved navigation system, a fiber-optic gyroscope, indigenously-produced computer processors and an automated fueling system to the fourth stage. The streamlined automatic fuelling system saved one day in the launch preparations and also for a safe work environment for ground engineers to prepare the rocket.
Here is a video of PSLV-C36 Launch ....
The Resurcesat-2A was launched by India's PSLV rocket ( PSLV-C36) in its 38th flight successfully at 10:25 hrs IST on 7th December, 2016. The satellite weighed 1235 Kg.
The 36 hur count down began on monday and the ground crew filled the PSLV's second and fourth stages with liquid fuels. The PSLV-C36 lifted off at 04:55 GMT and climbed through a heavy rain shower and low clouds from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Center with 1.7 million pounds of thrust.
The first four of the 12 meter auxiliary motors ( strap-on motors ) burned out and jettisoned around 70 seconds after lift-off followed by release of the last pair of boosters at T+92 seconds. The first stage of the rocket consumed the solid propellant by T+1 minute and 50 seconds giving way to the Rocket's hydrazine-burning second stage Vikas Engine around 74 kilometers above Earth for a firing which lasted about 2 and 1/2 minutes with 1,80,000 pounds of thrust. The onboard computers began closed-loop guidance during the second stage burn and the rocket's 3.2 meter diameter payload fairing fell down from the rocket at T+150 seconds.
The PSLV headed eastwards first and then turned south in a "dogleg" maneuver to avoid flying over Sri Lanka accelerating to orbital velocity over Indian Ocean. Once the Vikas Engine ( second stage ) emptied its 42 metric tonne supply of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants, the third stage ignited around T+4 minutes 23 seconds for nearly two minutes and then coasted off until separating from the Rocket's fourth stage at around T+ 8 minutes 41 seconds.
The twin engine liquid fueled fourth stage took control of the mission at T+ 8 minutes 51 seconds for an eight minute firing to obtain proper velocity to enter the targeted polar orbit. Resourcesat-2A was separated at around 18 minutes after lift-off.
The Resourcesat-2A will track agriculture, water resources, soil contamination and the growth of Indian cities. This is a follow up for Resourcesat 1 and Resourcesat 2 launched earlier in 2003 and 2011. The spacecraft was put into an orbit of 823 Kms high at an inclination of 98.7 degrees to equator.
The PSLV-C36 launched on wednesday demonstrated several upgrades to the PSLV's avionics systems including the improved navigation system, a fiber-optic gyroscope, indigenously-produced computer processors and an automated fueling system to the fourth stage. The streamlined automatic fuelling system saved one day in the launch preparations and also for a safe work environment for ground engineers to prepare the rocket.
Here is a video of PSLV-C36 Launch ....
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