India to launch five foreign satellites on June 30

CHENNAI: India will cement its position as a sought-after commercial rocket launching nation on June 30 when the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launches Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C23 carrying five foreign satellites.

The rocket carrying SPOT-7, a 714kg French earth observation satellite, as the main payload will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100km north of Chennai at 9:49am, an Isro statement said.

PSLV-C23 will also carry the 14kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada, each weighing 15kg, and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore as co-passengers. These five satellites are being launched under commercial arrangements that Isro's Antrix Corporation has with foreign agencies.

The mission readiness review committee and the launch authorization board will meet on June 27 to give the final nod for the launch. After this, the 49-hour count down for the mission will begin at 8:49am on June 28.

Isro has had 25 consecutively successful launches of PSLVs which have now come to be known as the workhorses of Indian space research.