Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-55

21st April, 2023 Science and Technology

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

ISRO, is scheduled to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C55 (PSLV-C55) mission on April 22 with Singapore’s TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger satellite.

Backdrop PSLV

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
It is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle.
It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun-synchronous orbits – a service that until the advent of the PSLV in 1993, was commercially available only from Russia.
PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Some notable payloads launched by PSLV include India's first lunar probe Chandrayaan-1, India's first interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) and India's first space observatory, Astrosat.

About PSLV C-55

The PSLV-C55 mission will be the 57th flight of PSLV and the 16th mission using the PSLV Core Alone configuration.
The PSLV C55 rocket has four stages; each one was self-contained, with its own propulsion system, thereby capable of functioning independently.
The first and third stages used composite solid propellants.
The second and fourth stage use earth-storable liquid propellant.

What all is PSLV-C55 launching with?

The PSLV-C55 mission will lift off with two big satellites with the

1. TeLEOS-2, a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite as the primary mission and
2. Lumelite-4 a technology demonstration nano-satellite, will be a co-passenger satellite.

The two satellites combined weigh around 757 kilograms.
The two satellites are intended to be launched into an Eastward low-inclination orbit.

The satellites

TeLEOS-2 spacecraft

The TeLEOS-2 spacecraft will provide imagery that could be used for hotspot monitoring and haze management, air crash search and rescue operations, and much more.
It will provide all-weather day and night coverage and is capable of imaging at 1m full-polarimetric resolution.

READ

TELEOS-2: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/teleos-2

LUMELITE-4

It has also been developed by Singapore and is an advanced 12U satellite designed for the technology demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES).
Using the VDES communication payload Lumelite-4 aims to augment Singapore’s e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Which of the following statements are correct?

a) TeLEOS 2 has also been developed by Singapore and is an advanced 12U satellite designed for the technology demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES)..

b) LUMELITE-4 is a 750kg Earth Observation Satellite designed to capture round-the-clock, all-weather satellite imagery of the Earth.

1. Only a

2. Only b

3. Both a and b

4. None of the above.

Correct Answer: Option 4