The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch two satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota at 14:19 IST today under the PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission. NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of the Department of Space, has facilitated the mission which will have TeLEOS-2 as the primary satellite.
TeLEOS-2, a 741-kg earth observation satellite, has been developed under a partnership between the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Singapore Technologies Engineering. It will have all-weather capabilities to meet the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies operating under the Singapore Government.
The other satellite to be launched is LUMELITE-4, an advanced satellite weighing 16 kg, designed to demonstrate a very high-frequency data exchange system. The satellite will boost Singapore’s e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.
The two satellites are scheduled to be launched into an eastward low inclination orbit, and this will be the 57th flight of the Polar Satellite Launching Vehicle (PSLV). PSLV-C55 will also carry the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), with seven experimental, non-separable payloads developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Bellatrix Aerospace and Dhruva Space.
This is the third ISRO mission carrying POEM, with PSLV-C53 being the first mission to carry it. The non-separating POEM-2 payloads are ARIS-2, PiLOT, ARKA200, Starberry, DSOL, DSOD-3U, and DSOD-6U. PSLV-C55 has a height of 44.4 meters and a lift-off mass of 228.355 tonnes.