RESOURCESAT-2,YOUTHSAT,X-Sat = PSLV-C16- 20.04.11 08:42 ЛМВ

[Salo]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article1143360.ece

Chennai, Январь 31, 2011
ISRO to launch remote sensing Resourcesat in February[/size]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is getting ready to launch Resourcesat 2, a remote sensing earth observation satellite, by the end of February, officials said Monday.

Remote sensing satellites send back pictures and other data for various uses. India is a major player in providing such data in the global market.

Resourcesat-2 will replace Resourcesat-1 launched in 2003, which has outlived its original mission life of five years.

According to ISRO officials, the satellite has reached the Sriharikota rocket launch centre, around 80 kms from Chennai, and tests are being conducted.

The satellites will be carried by ISRO's polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV). The launch will be between February 20 and 25 in the morning. The PSLV will also be carrying two other small satellites made in Singapore and Russia.

With nine orbiting satellites and the tenth one to join in February, India has the largest number of remote sensing satellites in the world providing images in a variety of spatial resolutions. The remote sensing satellites currently operational are: Resourcesat-1, Cartosat-2B, Oceansat-2, RISAT-2, Cartosat-2A, IMS-1, Cartosat-2, Resourcesat-1 and TES.

For some time Resourcesat-2 and Resourcesat-1 will work together before the latter is fully replaced, the official said.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.msg690915#msg690915

Might get official confirmation by today evening (IST,in print media), but hearing that the launch date for the PSLV is February 24, 2011.

[Salo]

http://www.azosensors.com/Details.asp?newsID=2174

Remote Sensing Resourcesat 2 Ready for Launch[/size]

This category of satellite routinely relays information in pictorial and other formats to be deployed in various applications. India is a major provider of this type of information to other nations. This satellite will take the place of Resourcesat 1, which had been launched in 2003, and had a lifespan of about five years. This second edition has taken longer to launch.

ISRO spokespersons also stated that the satellite has been transported to the Sriharikota rocket launch centre located about 80km from Chennai in South India, where currently tests are being conducted on it, after which it will be lifted by the agency's polar satellite vehicle launch (PSLV) in the morning hours on any day between February 20 and 25.

Besides the main satellite,  PSLV will also lift two satellites of smaller sizes developed in Singapore and Russia. Already, India has nine satellites orbiting in space, and this will be the tenth, making India a key player in offering pictures taken in different resolutions.

[Salo]

А сабж видимо опять уходит вправо.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

March    PSLV   •  Resourcesat 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India

India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will launch the Resourcesat 2 Earth observation satellite, the XSAT demonstration satellite for Singapore, and the Youthsat payload for India and Russia. The mission is codenamed PSLV-C16. Delayed from December and January. [Feb. 21]

[Salo]

http://www.sify.com/news/indian-space-agency-postpones-remote-sensing-satellite-s-launch-news-national-lcyuuhhbadc.html

Indian space agency postpones remote sensing satellite's launch[/size]
2011-02-24 20:20:00

Chennai, Feb 24 (IANS) Not wanting to risk a failure of its lucrative Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and to be doubly sure about the on-flight performance of the various subsystems, India's space agency has postponed the launch of the rocket carrying remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 by nearly a month.

'A realistic date of launch could be estimated only by the end of this month as it depends on the results of tests that are being done to know the high temperature tolerance levels of a key component,' an official of Indian Space Research Organisation (IANS) told IANS.

The PSLV launch, scheduled for launch this week, was supposed to sling Resourcesat-2 and two other small satellites - Youthsat and X-Sat - into orbit. Remote sensing satellites like Resourcesat send back pictures and other data for various uses. India is a major player in providing such data in the global market.

The Youthsat, an Indo-Russian micro satellite, carries two payloads - one Indian and the other Russian. Singapore's X-Sat is also a micro satellite.

ISRO officials told IANS the space agency's chairman K. Radhakrishnan wanted to be sure about the parameters of the rocket's subsystems as he was of the view that ISRO cannot afford another failure and that too involving the PSLV rocket.

ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation is earning a sizeable sum launching third party satellites using PSLV rockets.

The Indian space agency's last two missions involving its heavy rocket - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - ended as a failure resulting in a total loss of around Rs.600 crore -- cost of two rockets and two satellites.

According to ISRO officials, even if the test results turn out positive and the launch decision is taken, it would require minimum of around 20 days to get ready the PSLV rocket for the launch.

India has the largest constellation of remote sensing satellites in the world providing imageries in variety of spatial resolutions from better than a metre ranging up to 500 metres.

The remote sensing satellites that are operational are: Cartosat-2B, Oceansat-2, RISAT-2, Cartosat-2A, IMS-1, Cartosat-2, Resourcesat-1 and TES.

For some time Resourcesat-2 and Resourcesat-1 would work together before the latter would go into oblivion.

Launched in 2003, Resourcesat-1 has outlived its original mission life of five years.

Compared to Resourcesat-1, the multispectral swath of Resourcesat-2 has been enhanced from 23 km to 70 km based on user needs.

Suitable changes including miniaturisation in payload electronics have been incorporated in Resourcesat-2.

The other remote sensing satellites that ISRO plans to launch are RISAT, Megha-Tropiques, INSAT-3D a meteorological satellite, Astrosat (astronomy satellite to observe celestial bodies)

[Salo]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/ISRO-tests-rocket-motor-delays-satellite-launch/Article1-667091.aspx

ISRO tests rocket motor, delays satellite launch[/size]

After 16 successful launches of its workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the last 17 years, the Indian space agency is now testing a key component to re-qualify its on-flight performance parameters to avoid any unpleasant surprises. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is testing the gas motor which is fitted in the second stage/engine powered by liquid fuel for high temperature tolerance levels.

The test has forced ISRO to postpone the launch of its remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 and two other payloads by nearly a month. Remote sensing satellites like Resourcesat send back pictures and other data for various uses. India is a major player in providing such data in the global market.

The rocket was scheduled for launch this week.

According to ISRO officials, the gas motor powers the rocket's second stage control actuators for maneuvering the engine's nozzle - the process is called gimballing. The process enables the rocket to maintain a steady course on its way up.

The motor is powered by the hot gases tapped from the rocket.

"During earlier PSLV rocket launches, we had noticed the temperature of the hot gases at the motor inlet being higher by 20-30 percent while the expected temperature is around or less than 300 degree celsius," an ISRO official said.

ISRO officials said that the space agency's chairman K Radhakrishnan wanted to be sure about the parameters of the rocket's subsystems as he was of the view that ISRO cannot afford another failure and that too involving the PSLV rocket.

ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation is earning a sizeable sum, launching third-party satellites using PSLV rockets.

The Indian space agency's last two missions involving its heavy rocket - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - ended in failures, resulting in a total loss of around Rs 600 crore - cost of two rockets and two satellites.

ISRO will be using PSLV to launch a communication satellite till the space agency stabilises its GSLV rocket that can sling much heavier satellites into orbit.

According to ISRO officials, the temperature tolerance levels of the gas motor is being tested in a power generation company near in Chennai.

ISRO opted to test the gas motor's heat tolerance limits as that will be quicker than redesigning the rocket's engine to bring down the gas temperature.

"Up to 300 degree celsius we can test the component at ISRO's centre in Thiruvananthapuram. We do not have super heated steam generators to test the temperature tolerance levels above that levels," an official said.

According to him, the test results have been satisfactory till now as the motor tolerated temperature up to 370 degree celsius.

The test results will be studied and the final call on the rocket's launch carrying remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 is expected to be taken Feb 28 by Radhakrishnan.

ISRO officials said that around 20 days' time is required to test the rocket's subsystems after the launch permission.

If the permission is given on Mar 1, ISRO would require 20 days more to make the rocket and the satellite ready for launch.

Meanwhile, the fully assembled PSLV rocket is standing tall at the Sriharikota launch centre, around 80 km from in Chennai. All the three satellites are also at the rocket launch pad.

India has the largest constellation of remote sensing satellites in the world providing imageries in variety of spatial resolutions from better than a metre ranging up to 500 metres.

The remote sensing satellites that are operational are -- Cartosat-2B, Oceansat-2, RISAT-2, Cartosat-2A, IMS-1, Cartosat-2, Resourcesat-1 and TES.

For some time, Resourcesat-2 and Resourcesat-1 would work together before the latter would go into oblivion.

Launched in 2003, Resourcesat-1 has outlived its original mission life of five years.

Compared to Resourcesat-1, the multispectral swath of Resourcesat-2 has been enhanced from 23 km to 70 km based on user needs.

Suitable changes, including miniaturisation in payload electronics, have also been incorporated in Resourcesat-2.

The other remote sensing satellites that ISRO plans to launch are RISAT, Megha-Tropiques, INSAT-3D, Astrosat -- astronomy satellite to observe celestial bodies.

[Salo]

http://www.raumfahrer.net/news/raumfahrt/27022011125957.shtml

[Salo]

Isro gearing for Resourcesat-2 launch in April[/size]
Abantika Ghosh, TNN | Mar 5, 2011, 05.13am IST

NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to launch Resourcesat-2, a remote sensing satellite that will provide information on biophysical and geophysical parameters on the earth's surface, from Sriharikota Space Centre in April. Youthsat, in collaboration with Russia, and Xsat, a venture with a Singapore laboratory, are the other two satellities that will also be launched around the same time.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission was earlier slated to be launched in the third week of January, which was subsequently postponed to February 24. ISRO, which is still smarting under the Christmas Day disaster of the GSLV mission, decided to play it safe as scientists insisted on some more tests. Consequently, the launch was called off just two days ahead of the D-day.

"Preparations are in the final stages. Resourcesat-2 will be launched in April, but the date has not been fixed. It will be equipped with three advanced cameras that will transmit valuable geospatial data regarding biodiversity, forest cover, soil etc," said a senior official in the department of space.

Resourcesat data can be used for a host of key initiatives like CAPE (crop acreage and production estimates) and FASAL (forecasting agricultural output using space, agrometeorological and land based observations) programmes in collaboration with the ministry of agriculture. Besides, it would come in handy for assesment of green cover and incorporating it into Bhuvan, ISRO's answer to GoogleEarth.

LISS (Linear Imaging Self Scanning) 3, LISS 4 and AWIFS ( Advanced Wide Imaging Field Sensor) are the three cameras fitted to Resourcesat-2. The variable resolutions and time period will help it to capture 3D pictures ofvarious geophysical changes in the earth's surface, explained the official.

Resourcesat-2 is the first Indian satellite to boast of space-based Automatic Identification System that can provide guidance to ships in distress, ISRO sources said. The payload, built in technical collaboration with Canada, can constantly monitor the movement of all the registered vehicles.[/quote]

[ZOOR]

Индия запустит три спутника, в том числе российско-индийский "ЮтСат"[/size]

16:11 09/03/2011

НЬЮ-ДЕЛИ, 9 мар - РИА Новости, Евгений Безека.

Индия в апреле планирует запустить на орбиту три спутника с помощью ракеты-носителя PSLV, передает агентство ИАНС.

Запуск был намечен на февраль, однако из-за декабрьской аварии тяжелой ракеты GSLV был отложен. После этой неудачи руководство Индийской организации космических исследований (ИСРО) решило подстраховаться и более тщательно протестировать детали ракеты. Более легкая ракета PSLV - "рабочая лошадка" ИСРО, используемая для вывода спутников на околоземную орбиту.

PSLV выведет на орбиту три спутника: 1,2-тонный Resourcesat-2 для дистанционного зондирования Земли, 93-килограммовый российско-индийский научный спутник "ЮтСат" (YouthSat), который планировалось отправить в космос еще в 2008 году, а также 103-килограммовый сингапурский спутник X-Sat.

Длина PSLV составляет 44 метра. Ракету приводят в движение четыре ступени, две из которых работают на твердом топливе, две - на жидком.

Решение о реализации этого российско-индийского спутникового проекта было принято в январе 2007 года в ходе визита Владимира Путина в Индию. Проект направлен на развитие контактов между молодежью двух стран. Российскую молодежь представляют студенты МГУ, собравшие "техническую начинку" спутника. Студенты университета штата Андхра-Прадеш, в свою очередь, будут анализировать полученные спутником сведения о Солнце.

Запуск "ЮтСата" первоначально был запланирован на весну 2008 года, который был объявлен Годом России в Индии. Оборудование для космического аппарата привезли из Москвы в бангалорскую штаб-квартиру ИСРО в августе 2008 года. После проведения испытаний российскую "начинку" должны были поместить в технологический модуль и осенью запустить в космос. Затем запуск перенесли на конец года, но и тогда для спутника не нашлось места на ракете. Не попал "ЮтСат" в план запусков и в 2009-2010 годах.

[Salo]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1512995.ece

PSLV to be launched around April 10[/size]
T. S. Subramanian

GSLV failure and S-band scam hold it up for two months

After a two-month delay, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C16) will be launched around April 10 to put Resourcesat-2 and two other satellites into orbit.

The PSLV-C16 was to have lifted off from Sriharikota in the first week of February, but the failure of the Geo-stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06) on December 25, 2010, and the S-band spectrum scam that hit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this year have cast a long shadow over it.

Though the four stages of the PSLV-C16 were fully integrated more than two weeks ago, the ISRO wants to play it safe after the GSLV-16 failure. Asked about the reason for the delay, an ISRO official said: "People are busy dealing with the fallout of the S-band scam and analysing the GSLV failure. The ISRO does not want another failure."

ISRO officials said they did not want to take chances with the PSLV-C16 flight because several modules of the PSLV and the GSLV were similar. The GSLV's liquid engine stages and up-rated core solid engine stage are all derived from the PSLV, which has become the workhorse of the ISRO for putting into orbit remote-sensing satellites. The second stages of the GSLV and the PSLV, both powered by liquid propellants, are alike. Besides, the four liquid strap-on booster motors around the GSLV core first stage are derived from the PSLV's liquid stages. "We will therefore be extra careful. We cannot afford to lose face this time," an ISRO rocket engineer said. Tests are under way on the PSLV's second liquid stage, because problems have surfaced there.

The PSLV-C16 will put into orbit three satellites: the ISRO's 1,200-kg Resourcesat-2; the 93-kg Youthsat, with a payload from Russia and two payloads from India; and the 103-kg X-Sat from Nangyang Technological University of Singapore. Resourcesat-2 is a continuation of Resourcesat-1, which was put into orbit on October 17, 2003. Resourcesat-1 is going strong, though it has lasted more than its mission life of five years. The images of the Resourcesat-2 will help in monitoring the health of crops, estimating crop yield, keeping a tab on deforestation and locating the groundwater. Youthsat is meant for studying the effects of the sun on the earth's upper atmosphere.

Two ISRO payloads in Youthsat are from the Space Physics Laboratory of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, the Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, and the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.

The X-Sat is a technology demonstrator with remote-sensing and communication payloads.

A standard PSLV version, which weighs 295 tonnes at lift-off and is 44 metres long, will put these satellites in orbit. The satellites will be mated with the rocket in April.

[Salo]

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/resourcesat-2-for-rural-programme-efficiency/260539.html

Resourcesat-2 for rural programme efficiency[/size]

Gokul Chandrasekar
Express News Service
First Published : 29 Mar 2011 03:16:58 AM IST
Last Updated : 29 Mar 2011 09:16:24 AM IST

CHENNAI: Resourcesat-2, a highly advanced remote sensing satellite that is to be launched by ISRO in April this year, is expected to increase the efficiency of rural development programmes by providing high-resolution stage-by-stage satellite imagery of the progress made.

The satellite, a sequel to Resourcesat-1, will be the first multi-resolution imaging satellite to be launched by India with its image resolution capability varying from 5.5 m to 5.8 m.

"Resourcesat-2, which is equipped with an advanced wide field sensor (AWiFS), will conduct a terrain mapping once in every five days," says PG Diwakar, associate director of Earth Observation Systems-ISRO. "The spatial resolution of the AWiFS sensor is around 55 m. The satellite is also equipped with LISS-3 and LISS-4 sensors of the resolution 28 m and 5.8 m," Diwakar told Express.

The programme will help experts and governments in improving the efficiency of the rural development programmes. "A high resolution stage-by-stage satellite imagery of a terrain undergoing watershed development will show the programmes' efficiency thereby helping improve our interventions," says Prof S Sanjeevi, from the department of geology at Anna University.

ISRO officials say data from it, which will be made available on Bhuvan — ISRO's geoportal, will be a boon to non-profit organisations undertaking resource conservation activities in ru­ral areas. "NGOs struggle to obtain spatial data. Now, Bhu­van will help all non-prof­its and citizens to access remote sensing and terrain-map­ping data for programmes like groundwater conservat­ion, biodiversity mapping and watershed deve­lopment programmes," says Diwakar.

ISRO has the technology to carry out mapping to a resolution of 0.8 m, close to Google Earth's maximum resolution of 0.6 m.

[Salo]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/31/354937/indias-opts-for-caution-on-return-to-launch-pad.html

DATE:31/03/11
SOURCE:Flight International
India's opts for caution on return to launch pad[/size]
By Radhakrishna Rao

After two failures of its heavy lift Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in April and December last year, India is taking a cautious approach to resuming launch operations of the vehicle, delaying a planned first-quarter mission for its workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says a PSLV launch schedule is awaiting tests of the high-temperature tolerance level of a key component of the vehicle.

Featuring four alternate liquid- and solid-fuel stages - including one of the world's largest sold-fuel boosters - the 44.9m (147ft)-tall PSLV is ISRO's first operational launch vehicle and has a sound track record of carrying out multiple launches, including a run of 16 successful flights up to its last mission in July 2010.

The future of the heavier GSLV - and with it India's manned and Moon mission plans - depends on an Indian-developed cryogenic upper stage whose failure ended the April 2010 mission after 293s. Russian-built stages have been used for other flights, but are no longer available.

[Salo]

http://lunar-tiks.blogspot.com/2011/03/loaded-address-to-indian-space.html

But, it was not just criticism. There was another side to his speech which made the space scientists happy on this Saturday evening. While expressing anxiety about the GSLV programme, he praised the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project. He said: ``The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has had sixteen successful flights and put forty satellites in orbit, twenty five of which belong to foreign parties.''  Good, but not a word about the repeated postponement of the PSLV which was to have taken off with Resourcesat-2, Youthsat and X-Sat of Singapore, on April 10, 2011. The current indications suggest that the launch will take place sometime towards the end of April.

[Salo]

Перевод корявый, го за неимением лучшего...

http://www.aex.ru/news/2011/4/4/83914/

Индия возобновляет запуски ракет-носителей SLV[/size]
   
4 апреля 2011 г., Aviation Explorer –   После двух неудачных запусков тяжелой ракеты-носителя Geosynchronous (GSLV) в апреле и декабре прошлого года, Индия подходит к дальнейшим запускам ракеты с осторожностью, в результате чего, для запланированного на первый квартал текущего года запуска, будет использована ракета-носитель Polar (PSLV). AEX.ru
 
Представители Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) сообщили, что окончательная дата запуска PSLV будет определена после завершения испытаний на определение допустимого уровня температур для одного из ключевых узлов ракеты.
 
PSLV имеет четыре ступени, функционирующие на жидком или твердом топливе, включая одни из самых больших в мире твердотопливных ускорителей. Высота данной ракеты составляет 44.9 м, и она является первым средством выведения на орбиту, принятым ISRO в эксплуатацию. Также ей принадлежит ряд рекордов по количеству запусков, включая серию из 16 удачных полетов вплоть до крайнего запуска, проведенного в июле 2010 года.
 
Будущее более тяжелой GSLV на фоне запланированных Индией запусков пилотируемых космических аппаратов, а так же миссии на Луну, зависит от успешности разработки Индией верхней криогенной ступени, отказ которой прервал выполнение полета в апреле 2010 года.
 
Источник: Flightglobal

[kit105k]

резервации и время на запуск:
FLW RECEIVED FM GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AFFECTING MELBOURNE FIR:
INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION IS PROPOSED TO LAUNCH POLAR
SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (PSLV) WITH THE DETAILS AS FOLLOWS:
LAUNCH WINDOW: 10TH APRIL 2011 TO 9TH MAY 2011
DANGER TIME: 0315 TO 0645 UTC
ROCKET TYPE: PSLV C-16
LAUNCH PAD COORDINATES: 13 43.9 N 080 14.2 E
DANGER ZONE  6: AREA BOUNDED BY:
0430S 08050E    0430S 08250E
0830S 08250E    0830S 08050E
DANGER ZONE  7: AREA BOUNDED BY:
4030S 07200E    4030S 07600E
4530S 07600E    4530S 07200E
ALL COORDINATES ARE IN DEGREES AND MINUTES
VERTICAL LIMITS: SFC TO UNLIMITED.
DEFINITIVE LAUNCH WINDOW OF 6 DAYS WITHIN THE EXTENDED LAUNCH WINDOW
FROM 10TH APRIL 2011 TO 9TH MAY 2011 WILL BE INFORMED 8 DAYS IN
ADVANCE.
DANGER ZONES 6 LIES WITHIN MELBOURNE FIR AND DANGER ZONE 7 LIES
WITHIN MELBOURNE FIR, JOHANNESBURG FIR AND MAURITIUS FIR. DAILY 0315/0645, 05
APR 03:40 2011 UNTIL 09 MAY 06:45 2011. CREATED: 05 APR 03:49 2011

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.msg720603#msg720603

It seems that new launch date announced for PSLV-C16 (Acc to regional news channel). Scheduled date is 20th Apr 2011 (Around 10 AM IST).

~Prasad

[Salo]

http://www.inewsone.com/2011/04/09/india-to-launch-advanced-remote-sensing-satellite-april-20/42225

India to launch advanced remote sensing satellite April 20[/size]

Bangalore, April 9 (IANS) India will launch an advanced remote sensing satellite April 20 to study and manage natural resources, the space agency announced Saturday.

Preparations to launch the 1.2-tonne Resourcesat-2 spacecraft onboard the polar launch satellite vehicle (PSLV-C16) were progressing well at the Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

Sriharikota, in Andhra Pradesh, is about 80 km northeast of Chennai,

The polar orbit rocket will also carry a 92 kg Youthsat, a joint Indo-Russian nanosatellite for stellar and atmospheric studies, and a 105 kg microsatellite X-sat for imaging applications, built by the Singapore-based Nanyang Technological University.

'The launch authorisiation board will review the readiness of the rocket, satellites and ground stations April 16. The countdown will begin April 18 for the scheduled lift-off April 20 at 10.12 a.m.,' the statement said.

The upcoming event will be the space agency's first launch mission after the failure of its geo-satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) Dec 25 due to snapping of 10 connectors within a minute after the 418-tonne rocket took off from the spaceport, carrying an advanced communication satellite.

[Salo]

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/scripts/pressreleasein.aspx?Apr09_2011

April 09, 2011
PSLV-C16/ RESOURCESAT-2 Launch on April 20, 2011

pslv-c16Preparations for the launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C16) carrying RESOURCESAT-2 satellite are progressing well at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. In this mission, PSLV-C16 will launch RESOURCESAT-2, YOUTHSAT and X-SAT satellites.

pslv-c16RESOURCESAT-2 built by ISRO - the primary satellite is an advanced remote sensing satellite weighing 1206 kg for facilitating the study and management of natural resources. YOUTHSAT weighing 92 kg is a joint Indo-Russian satellite for stellar and atmospheric studies. X-SAT weighing 105 kg is a microsatellite for imaging applications built by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Integration of all the three satellites to the launcher has been successfully accomplished. After successful completion of final phase of vehicle checkout operations, pre-launch and launch rehearsal procedures will be carried out.

The Launch Authorisation Board scheduled to meet on April 16, 2011 will review the readiness of the launch vehicle, satellites and ground stations and authorise the launch of PSLV-C16/RESOURCESAT-2 Mission. The countdown is expected to begin in the early hours of April 18, 2011. The launch of PSLV-C16 is tentatively scheduled on April 20, 2011 at 10:12 Hrs (IST).

[Salo]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article1704083.ece

Chennai, Апрель 17, 2011
Countdown for PSLV C16 launch to begin tomorrow
PTI[/size]

The countdown for the April 20 launch of the country's latest remote sensing satellite Resourcesat—2 and two small spacecraft on board PSLV C16 rocket from the Sriharikota spaceport, 90 km from here, will begin tomorrow.

With the Launch Authorisation Board for the mission giving its green signal at its meeting at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota yesterday, the 54-hour long countdown will commence at 4.12 am on Monday.

The 98 kg YOUTHSAT, an Indo-Russian satellite for stellar and atmospheric studies and 106 kg X-SAT, a microsatellite for imaging applications built by Nanyang Technological University Singapore, will also be placed in orbit.

The LAB cleared the launch of PSLV—C16 at 10:12 hrs on April 20 after reviewing readiness of the launch vehicle, spacecraft systems and ground stations, an Indian Space Research Organisation statement said today.

The ISRO built 1,206—kg RESOURCESAT—2 is an advanced remote sensing satellite to facilitate study and management of natural resources.

During countdown, propellant-filling operations of liquid propellant second stage (PS2) and fourth stage (PS4) of the launch vehicle will be carried out, ISRO said.

Mandatory checks on the launch vehicle and spacecraft — including charging of batteries and pressurisation of propellant tanks will also be performed, besides checking the readiness of launch infrastructure and communication networks.