India launches intelligence-gathering satellite

CHANDIGARH, India

India on Monday launched an intelligence-gathering satellite EMISAT and 28 other satellites from different nations, local media reported.

“The mission would witness ISRO [Indian Space Research Organization] placing payloads in three orbits and conducting space experiments for the first time,” India today, a local broadcaster, said in a report.

Meanwhile, an Indian government statement said India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C45) “successfully launched EMISAT and 28 international customer satellites” from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh state.

“This flight marked the first mission of PSLV-QL, a new variant of PSLV with four strap-on motors,” it said.

EMISAT, as per Indian government statement, is a satellite built around ISRO’s Mini Satellite-2 bus weighing about 436 kilograms (961 pounds). The satellite is intended for "electromagnetic spectrum measurement."

“The 28 international customer satellites, together weighing about 220 kg [485 pounds], are from four countries, namely, Lithuania (2), Spain (1), Switzerland (1) and USA (24). These foreign satellites were launched as part of commercial arrangements,” the statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the space scientists and IRSO over the development.

“Congratulations to the scientists at @ISRO for the successful PSLV C-45 launch which has put our EMISAT satellite and 28 satellites from 4 countries (USA, Switzerland, Lithuania, Spain) in their respective orbits,” PM Modi tweeted.

Today’s launch has come days after India successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, making the India as the fourth country in the world to acquire the “modern capability.”