ISRO Chairman K Sivan visits Tirupati ahead of PSLV's 50th mission

Ahead of satellite launches from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C48 tomorrow, December 11, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan offered prayers at the Tirupati Balaji temple on Tuesday. Dr Sivan had visited the hill shrine before the Chandrayaan-2 mission as well. 

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Dr K Sivan spoke to the media and said that PSLV C48 is a historic achievement by ISRO because this is the 50th launch of PSLV and 75th launch from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The space organisation is excited and looking forward to the launch of RISAT-2BR1 through PSLV C48, which will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota on December 11. 

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The PSLV C48 will be carrying satellites from other countries called "co-passengers". There will be nine such “customer satellites” including one from Israel, one from Italy, one from Japan and six from the USA. PSLV C48’s countdown will begin on the afternoon of December 10 at around 1.25 pm. The space organisation tweeted:

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The satellites, including our RISAT-2BR1, will be launched tomorrow afternoon (December 11) at 3.25 pm The space agency told various news agencies that the RISAT-2BR1 is a Radar-imaging earth observation satellite that weighs about 628 kilograms (1384.5 pounds). It will be placed into an orbit of 576 kilometres at an inclination of 37 degrees.

ISRO has set many records with its various missions and launches. Let’s take a look at some of its achievements so far:

• Chandrayaan
• Satellite Launch Vehicle
• Launching 104 Satellites Together
• Bacteria species
• PSLV-C21 rocket
• Mars Orbiter Mission
• Reaching Mars
• GSLV MK3
• GSLV-F09
• Navigation with Indian Constellation

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(With inputs from ANI)