In news– The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission, sending two Singapore-made satellites into the space.
About the mission-
- Of the two satellites, TeLEOS-2 is the primary one, and Lumelite-4, the ‘co-passenger.’ These weight about 741 kg and 16 kg respectively.
- It is a ‘dedicated commercial’ mission undertaken by ISRO through NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the space agency’s commercial arm.
- The mission has the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), where the spent PS4 stage of the launch vehicle would be utilized as an orbital platform to carryout scientific experiments through non-separating payloads.
- The mission also marks the 57th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The rocket will place the two satellites into an eastward inclincation orbit.
TeLEOS-2-
- TeLEOS-2 has been developed under a partnership between the DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited.
- TeLEOS-2 carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload.
- It will be able to provide all-weather day and night coverage, and capable of imaging at 1m full-polarimetric resolution.
- Once deployed and operational, it will support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies under the Government of Singapore.
Lumelite-4
- The LUMELITE-4 satellite is co-developed by the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) of A*STAR and Satellite Technology and Research Centre (STAR) of the National University of Singapore.
- It is an advanced 12U satellite developed for the technological demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES).
- Using the VDES communication payload developed by I2R and STAR’s scalable satellite bus platform, it aims to augment Singapore’s e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.
POEM-2-
As a part of POEM-2 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module), there are 7 experimental non-separable payloads:
- PiLOT (PSLV In orbitaL Obc and Thermals) a OBC package from IIST;
- ARIS-2 (Advanced Retarding Potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies) experiment from IIST;
- HET based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from Bellatrix;
- DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-Transceiver in S- & X- bands from Dhruva Space; and
- Starberry Sense Payload from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IAP).