Our country has put one more feather in the cap of her space research programme. Several tiny high-tech Canadian satellites are now in orbit following the successful launch of an Indian rocket. India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) blasted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the island of Sriharikota, off India’s east coast near Chennai on Monday. The rocket launched the satellites into a polar sun synchronous orbit – one that passes over both poles and brings the satellite over the same Earth latitude at the same time each day – 785 kilometers above the surface. The rocket carried (a) the Canadian Space Agency’s suitcase-sized NEOSsat satellite, which will look for asteroids and track satellites and space debris (b) the Sapphire satellite, which is the Canadian Department of National Defence’s first dedicated operational military satellite. It is about double the mass of NEOSsat, and (c) two lunch-box sized BRITE satellites, developed as an international project funded mainly by Austria, but drawing heavily on Canadian technological expertise. They are equipped with the smallest astronomical telescope ever built, which is designed to study some of the brightest stars in the sky.
After a textbook launch witnessed by President Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Space Research Organization’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) placed into orbit in one single mission all the seven satellites in the space of four minutes including an Indo-French oceanographic spacecraft that will study changes in the environment, completing its 22nd consecutive flawless launch.
Soaring into clear weather, the 44.4 meter tall 230-tonne rocket, in its core alone variant, injected the 409 kg Indo-French satellite SARAL first into orbit about 18 minutes after the lift-off, followed by six other foreign satellites in about four minutes as the scientists broke into cheers. Congratulating scientists for the ‘remarkable launch’ and ‘meticulously executed’ mission, President Mukherjee said the success has reaffirmed PSLV’s efficacy, accuracy and reliability.
The SARAL-ALTIKA satellite, a joint project of the space agencies of India and France, will complement the observations of the seas made by current satellites. It would be one of the very few ocean-centric satellites and a vital cog in studying sea surface heights and other aspects. It would help ocean scientists gather accurate data on the rise in the sea level which could threaten the low lying and coastal areas of the country.
The spacecraft will provide data products to operational and research user communities, in support of marine meteorology and sea state forecasting; operational oceanography; seasonal forecasting; climate monitoring; ocean, earth system and climate research. The 74-kg NEOSSAT (Near Earth Object Surveillance Satellite), built by Canada-based Microsat Systems, is aimed at detecting and tracking asteroids that might pose a threat to earth, reminded grimly by the recent strike of a meteor that streaked across the Russian skies.
Our country has made spectacular success in developing space technology, thanks to our visionary leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi who inculcated scientific temper in our budding youth. Today we have a large community of scientists in our country capable of achieving any target in our struggle for movement forward in the realms of science and technology. Our scientists have won many laurels whether in the country or abroad. This is because the base of education in the realms of science and technology in our country has been laid very thoughtfully. The country knows that the progress in these fields is to be maintained steadily.
Nevertheless it needs to be reiterated that India is a peace-loving country and our search for scientific and technological excellence is to promote the standard of living of our people. We do not believe in violence and its use in resolving disputes with others. India has repeatedly said that her researches in nuclear science or in space technology are essentially and purely in the interests of promoting peace and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the world. India would also like to share her researches with other countries and at the same time share the progress made by others as well. From what has been stated above, it will be found that India has cooperated with a number of foreign countries in the launch of the satellites with the definite purpose of studying the changes in the ocean and its impact on earth, climate and other things. No doubt, the findings of this research will be at the disposal of broad humanity and shall not remain confined to India alone. We have received congratulatory messages from many organizations in foreign countries and at the end of the day ours is a contribution to the fund of scientific and technological knowledge of the contemporary world society.
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