ISRO launches 104 satellites in a single mission: a boost for domestic application sector

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has opened up a new era in the history of space exploration today with the successful launch of a record 104 satellites in a single mission through  its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The vehicle was shot up at 9.28am with 104 satellites from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The rocket started placing the satellites into orbit after 17 minutes of its launch and finished it by 11 minutes.

Out of the total 104 satellites, 101 satellites belonged to six foreign countries including 96 from the US and one each from Israel, the UAE, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Kazakhstan. The Cartosat- 2 series, INS-1A and INS-1B are the indigenously built earth observation satellite by ISRO.

Till now, the highest record of launching 37 satellites in one go was held by a Russian Space Agency.  Earlier, India launched 23 satellites in a single mission in June 2015.

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Commenting on the launch, ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar said, "My hearty congratulations to the team. The Prime Minister has conveyed his congratulations," he said.

Director, Isro Satellite Centre Mayilsamy Annadurai said, "We can also hit centuries like our cricketers. In another two months, the number of satellites built by Isro will reach 100. Besides GSLV missions, we have get Chandrayan - 2 ready for launch next year."

Mission director B Jayakumar spoke about the complex issues in management and maneuvering the launch involved.

Cartosat 2, with a weight of 664kg, is armed with panchromatic and multispectral cameras to provide remote sensing services.  The image will be used for a number of applications related to cartography, urban and rural development, road network, coastal management, water distribution, land maps, and a number of other geographical applications.

The versatile and modular nanosatellite bus systems INS-1A and INS-1B are designed for future science experiemnets.

San Francisco-based earth imaging startup Planet has supplied 88 cube satellites that will be used to capture images of the earth's entire landmass. Eight other satellites are supplied by Spire Global, US to provide services like vessel tracking and weather apllications.

The nano satellites from Israel, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UAE are mostly technology demonstrators.

It is noteworthy that Aluminium and Aluminium alloys are most widely used in space applications because of their high strength-to-weight ratios. Aluminum alloys are often strong and lightweight enough to be functional in space structures and satellites. Recent advances in the manufacturing industry have introduced the use of composite materials integrated with the Aluminium metal. A list of desirable material properties with recommended materials to be used is given below.

India’s aluminium industry is on the verge of changing its application focus from its traditional uses in electrical and building segments towards emerging applications like defence, aerospace and space crafts and satellites.  India is still import dependent for sourcing high strength aluminium alloy extrusions for these kinds of strategic applications. Indian government has been emphasising on indigenizing aerospace, defence and space sector through the ‘Make in India’ campaign. This bears testimony to increasing appeal for aluminium and its alloys. A growing number of emerging applications in these sectors can make aluminium the metal of choice in future India. So, a revolutionary step like this in the domestic space research sector can be a big boost for domestic aluminium majors to invest in the downstream sector to manufacture high strength alloy products.