PSLV-C47 / Cartoset-3 Mission: ISRO’s postpone plans begin on 25 November, with delays unclear

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has postponed the launch of an Indian Cartosat-3 satellite and 13 other US nanosatellites that will be a part of the launch launched on 25 November. The revised launch date has been reduced by two days, which has now been set at 9.28 am IST on 27 November.

ISRO has not clarified why the postponement was necessary – whether an anomaly was discovered in the PSLV-C47 launch vehicle, or in Cartoset-3 under sub-meteorological conditions.

PSLV-C47 / Cartoset-3 Mission: ISRO’s postpone plans begin on 25 November, with delays unclear

The 13 nanosatellites from the US are part of a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the new company recently established under the Department of Space.

Primary payload on PSLV-C47 – Cartoset-3 satellite of India

Cartoset-3 is the third in a series of indigenous Earth observation satellites built by ISRO. With its highly advanced remote sensing capability, the Cartoset-3 is a leap of advancement with the wider spatial range (viewing) and finer resolution (up to 0.25 meters or 25 cm) of its predecessor Cartoset-2.

If all goes to plan, the satellite will be placed at an altitude of 509 km, at an inclination of 97.5 degrees by mid-day on 25 November.

Cartoasset-3 is undoubtedly one of the most advanced imaging satellites ever built by ISRO, with the ability to create some of the world’s highest-resolution aerial imagery – certainly the most of any ISRO satellites. It has multiple spectra – panchromatic (captures all visible colors of light), multispectral (captures light within specific ranges in the electromagnetic spectrum) and hyperspectral (captures light from across the electromagnetic spectrum) in Earth observation missions. Will also appear.

A multi-spectral image was captured by Cartosat-2 of Alexandria on 27 June 2017, becoming Operation Satellite. Picture: ISRO
Of the fourteen passengers on the PSLV-C47, thirteen are commercial nanosatellites from the US, part of a commercial arrangement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the Department of Space.

ISRO has two PSLV rideshare missions in December 2019.

Customers with satellites on the PSLV-C46 and PSLV-C47 rideshare missions include Boston-based satellite communications company Analytical Space, US data and analytics company Spire Global, Cambodian small SAR-satellite manufacturer iQPS, and Luxembourg-based Close Space. Spaceflight reports.