Why in the News?

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the upper stage of the PSLV C-37 mission re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in early October 2024, eight years post-launch. ISRO's System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM) monitored the decay since September, ensuring compliance with Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) guidelines to limit defunct objects' orbital life to under 25 years.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-37 Mission

• Launch Date: 15th February 2017
• Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
• It was the 39^th mission of the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program.
• The mission carried a total of 104 satellites, including 101 foreign satellites from countries like the USA, Canada, France and Germany alongside three Indian satellites.
• It set a world record for the highest number of satellites launched in a single mission at that time, surpassing the previous record held by Russia.

(PSLV) C-37

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

• Established: 1969
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Chairman: Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
• It is the space agency under the Department of Space.
• It is responsible for the planning and execution of space research and exploration activities in India.
• Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL) is a Marketing arm for promotion and commercial exploitation of space products, technical consultancy services and transfer of technologies.
• Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in Asia-Pacific region.
• Key Achievements
  • INSAT Series: A multi-purpose satellite system for telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology and search and rescue operations.
  • IRS Series: Indian Remote Sensing satellites that provide valuable data for agriculture, forestry, land-use mapping and disaster management.
  • SLV-3: India's first satellite launch vehicle that successfully placed the Rohini satellite in orbit in 1980.
  • GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle): Capable of launching heavier payloads into geostationary orbits, enhancing India’s satellite capabilities.
  • Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan): Launched in 2013, it made India the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit and the fourth space agency globally.
  • Chandrayaan-1: Launched in 2008, it was India’s first mission to the Moon, discovering water molecules on the lunar surface.
  • Chandrayaan-3: Launched in 2019, aimed to explore the lunar south pole, featuring an orbiter, lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan).
  • Astrosat: Launched in 2015, it is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, contributing to various fields of astrophysics.