India launches intelligence-gathering satellite

By Ahmad Adil</p> <p>CHANDIGARH, India (AA) – India on Monday launched an intelligence-gathering satellite EMISAT and 28 other satellites from different nations, local media reported.</p> <p>“The mission would witness ISRO [Indian Space Research Organization] placing payloads in three orbits and conducting space experiments for the first time,” India today, a local broadcaster, said in a report.</p> <p>Meanwhile, an Indian government statement said India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C45) “successfully launched EMISAT and 28 international customer satellites” from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh state.</p> <p>“This flight marked the first mission of PSLV-QL, a new variant of PSLV with four strap-on motors,” it said.</p> <p>EMISAT, as per Indian government statement, is a satellite built around ISRO’s Mini Satellite-2 bus weighing about 436 kilograms (961 pounds). The satellite is intended for &quot;electromagnetic spectrum measurement.&quot;</p> <p>“The 28 international customer satellites, together weighing about 220 kg [485 pounds], are from four countries, namely, Lithuania (2), Spain (1), Switzerland (1) and USA (24). These foreign satellites were launched as part of commercial arrangements,” the statement said.</p> <p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the space scientists and IRSO over the development. </p> <p>“Congratulations to the scientists at @ISRO for the successful PSLV C-45 launch which has put our EMISAT satellite and 28 satellites from 4 countries (USA, Switzerland, Lithuania, Spain) in their respective orbits,” PM Modi tweeted.</p> <p>Today’s launch has come days after India successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, making the India as the fourth country in the world to acquire the “modern capability.”