PSLV-C45 launches EMISAT, 28 satellites

India today demonstrated its new technology of placing satellites in three different orbits, when ISRO's PSLV-C45 successfully placed 436 kg Electronic Intelligence Satellite of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), EMISAT, and 28 other foreign satellites in a single mission. After a perfect lift off from the Second Launch Pad at 0927 hrs, the  PSLV, in its 47th mission, after a flight duration of 17 minutes, first injected the primary satellite EMISAT into a 749 km sun-synchronous polar orbit with an inclination of 98.376 deg.

It was followed by two fourth stage engine (PS-4) restarts to achieve a 504 km orbit, where all foreign satellites--24 from USA, two from Lithuania, one each from Spain and Switzerland and totally weighing 220 kg--were placed, about 100 minutes after lift off.