AKIPRESS.COM - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this week successfully launched 20 satellites and injected them into the required orbit, launching the maximum number of satellites in a single mission ever. The launch took place aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C32) at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, according to Live Mint.

The primary payload was a 727 kg Cartostat-2 series satellite, which will be used for earth observation; 19 other satellites together weigh about 560 kg.

The Cartostat satellite, which is equipped with specialized cameras, was injected into the nearly 505-km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit and will provide regular remote sensing services. The images sent by the satellite could be used for urban and rural applications, coastal land use, road network monitoring, land use maps and several geographical information system applications.

The co-passenger satellites include 12 Dove satellites from the U.S., a small earth imaging satellite designed by Terra Bella, a Google company, two from Canada, one each from Germany and Indonesia, as well as two from Indian universities.

The two Indian nano satellites, called Swayam and Satyabamasat, were developed by students from College of Engineering, Pune, and Sathyabama University, Chennai, respectively. While Swayam has a payload mass of 1 kg, Sathyabamasat has a payload mass of 1.5 kg.

“Today the PSLV has accomplished yet another mission and launched 20 satellites. It is forging closer to the ultimate reliability figure, PSLV has become a success for India and we are hoping to continue providing world-class launch services to the world,” said the Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Center.

This launch also marks 130 satellites launched by the PSLV. The national space agency of India is preparing for the developmental flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV Mark III, a series of earth observation satellites, and the testing of an air breathing propulsion system.