Pradeep's Space Newsletter #51
Pradeep's Space Newsletter #51
PSLV C55/TeLEOS-2 Mission, ISRO, ISRO sub-Reddit, and podcast updates
PSLV-C55 lifted off in its Core Alone configuration from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Sriharikota at 1419 hrs (IST) on 22 April 2023. The primary mission of the launch was a commercial flight for Singapore’s TeLEOS-2.
TeLEOS-2 is the first synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth observation satellite built by Singapore indigenously. It carried a secondary payload from Singapore, LUMELITE-4. This was a “12U satellite developed for the technological demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES)”. This aimed to improve maritime safety.
Of significance for India, were payloads developed by non-governmental entities (NGEs) and academia. These were payloads fixed to the fourth stage of the PSLV (PS-4). After deployment of the primary and secondary satellites from Singapore, the PS-4 would become the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM-2).
ISRO Mission page | Full video of the launch
POEM-2 has the following payloads:
PiLOT (PSLV In orbitaL Obc and Thermals), a OBC package from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)
ARIS-2 (Advanced Retarding potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies) experiment from IIST
HET (Hall Effect Thruster) based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from Bellatrix Aerospace
DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-Transceiver in S- & X- bands from Dhruva Space
Starberry Sense Payload from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIAP).