LOC09:40
06:40 GMT
NEW DELHI, June 23 (KUNA) -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched on Friday 31 satellites in a single mission on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV- C38).
The Press Trust of India reported quoting sources from the ISRO that the (PSLV- C38) was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, situated off the coast of south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The rocket carried earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 meant for defence purposes and 29 other nano satellites from 14 countries along with a nano satellite developed by students in an Indian university.
While the Cartosat-2 weighs 712 kilograms, the co-passenger satellites from 14 countries including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia as well as a Nano satellite from India weigh 243 kg.
India had already launched four satellites dedicated for defence forces in the Cartosat-2 series and plans to launch the final sixth one soon. Indian space organisation had successfully placed 104 satellites including 101 from foreign countries in a single mission on-board its workhorse rocket PSLV. (end)
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