The Indian Space Research Organisation is on track towards another world record of sorts, with the launch of a rocket carrying 103 satellites at one go slated for end-January or early February at the latest.
Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar says while the intention was not to look for any record, the country’s ace space agency is trying to maximise capacity in each launch and this is another effort in that direction.
Only three of the 103 satellites are Indian – the others are being launched for countries like Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland and the US, as part of an outsourcing tie-up between these countries and Isro’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation. Also read: Launch of Mini Rocket Postponed by Japan Space Agency Because of Wind
This is what Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh, who has charge of the Department of Space, had informed Parliament in November.
“I think so far, in a single launch, the maximum number of satellites has been about 37 or 38,” Dr Kiran Kumar told News18, adding that the prime driver for all this effort is to optimise capability of its launch vehicles.
A date for the launch is yet to be fixed but the space agency is working towards this by end of the month, Dr Kumar said.
Of course, most of the 103 satellites will be very small ones – as good as ‘cube-sats,’ according to Isro sources. All the satellites will be earth-observation ones, including the Indian ones that are meant for cartography and allied services. The client-countries haven’t specified what use they will put their satellites to.Also read: Here's How ISRO Made us Proud in 2016: Noteworthy Achievements in Space Technology
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