ISRO to Launch PSLV-C53 Today; How to Watch it Live

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is set to launch PSLV-C53 on Thursday, June 30. The rocket will carry DS-EO and two other passenger satellites. The launch is scheduled for 18:00 IST (6:00 p.m.) from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota. Taking to his official ISRO Twitter account reported, "PSLV-C53 is scheduled to launch DS-EO & 2 other co-passenger satellites on June 30, 2022, at 18:00 hrs IST from the 2nd Launch Pad, SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota. It accompanies PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) orbiting the earth as a stabilized platform."

ISRO on Wednesday, June 29 also informed that the countdown leading to the launch today has commenced and the launch would be streamed live on ISRO website http://isro.gov.in or ISRO Official Youtube channel (https://youtube.com/watch?v=n0HnrG6xafU) from 17:32 hours IST (5:32 PM) today. "PSLV-C53/DS-EO Mission: The launch would be streamed LIVE on ISRO website http://isro.gov.in or ISRO Official Youtube channel (https://youtube.com/watch?v=n0HnrG6xafU) from 17:32 hours IST on June 30, 2022," the tweet read.

Mission PSLV-C53/DS-EO; Details about the rocket:

According to information provided by ISRO, PSLV-C53 is the second dedicated business mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). This is the 55th PSLV mission and the 15th mission using the PSLV-Core Alone variant. It is the sixteenth PSLV launch from the second launch pad. The mission proposes demonstrating the use of the spent upper stage of the launch vehicle as a stabilized platform for post-separation science payloads.

"A four stage, 44.4 m tall PSLV-C53 has a lift-off mass of 228.433 t. It would inject DS-EO satellite into an orbit with semi-major axis of 6948.137 + 20 km, at an altitude of 570 km measured from the equator, with a low inclination of 100 + 0.20. PSLV-C53 carries three satellites. DS-EO, a 365 kg and NeuSAR, a 155 kg satellite both belonging to Singapore. The third satellite is a 2.8 kg Scoob-1 of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore," ISRO said in a statement.

DS-EO carries a multispectral electro-optical payload that will provide full-colour imagery for terrain classification, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief needs. NeuSAR is Singapore's first small commercial satellite to carry a SAR payload, which can provide images day and night in all weather conditions. The SCOOB-I satellite is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), a hands-on training program for students at the Satellite Research Center (SaRC) at the NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Singapore.

PSLV's Experimental Orbital Module (POEM) activity is conducted in orbital science experiments using the spent PS4 stage as an orbital platform. It is the first time the PS4 stage would orbit the earth as a stabilized platform. Attitude stabilization is achieved using a dedicated NGC system. POEM gets its power from solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a lithium-ion battery. It navigates using four solar sensors, a magnetometer, gyroscopes, and NavIC. It carries dedicated control thrusters that use helium gas storage. It is enabled with the remote control function.

POEM carries six payloads, including two from Indian Space Start-ups M/s Digantara and M/s Dhruva Space, enabled through IN-SPACe and NSIL.