Econintersect (reported by Sanjeev Kulkarni): A joint space venture between India and Russia has successfully placed three satellites, into ‘Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.’ The launch was conducted by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) using the Indian home built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This successful launch comes after two successive failures of the PSLV.The three satellites have diverse purposes. One is a communications satellite, the 1,206 kg Resourcesat-2, which is expected to provide environmental monitoring in such areas as ground water, mineral resources and marine life for 15 countries. The new satellite replaces an aging Resourcesat-1 launched in 2003.
The second satellite contains three payloads designed by Indian and Russian university students to conduct measurements on solar activity and related earth atmospheric chemistry.
The third satellite is the first Singapore space vehicle, X-Sat. The satellite is the lightest weight of the three at 92 kg and will demonstrate technologies related to satellite-based remote sensing and onboard image processing. The project was carried out by CREST (Centre for Research in Satellite Technologies), which is a joint venture of NTU (Nanyang Technological University) and DSO National Laboratories Singapore.
Sources: The Times of India, Indian Space Station, Gunter’s Space Page and Nanyang University paper