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International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Indian Launchers => Topic started by: Satori on 03/11/2007 10:48 pm

Title: PSLV-C8, AGILE - April 23 2007
Post by: Satori on 03/11/2007 10:48 pm
India is preparing for the PSLV-C8 mission in April. This launch will orbit the italian Agile satellite. See: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20070311042833&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0 (http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20070311042833&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0)
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: anik on 03/12/2007 03:44 pm
According to this (http://www.orbireport.com/Logs/Log07/Schedule.html) schedule, the launch date is NET April 16...
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Space Lizard on 03/13/2007 08:32 am
They say 3rd week of April, that means somewhere between 16 and 22.
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: MartianBase on 03/13/2007 08:05 pm
Let's hope this goes well, I know their other rocket, the GSLV didn't do so well
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 03/25/2007 02:00 pm
About the next PSLV. From The Hindu: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200703251325.htm

Launch is schedule "between April 20-30".
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Skyrocket on 03/29/2007 08:45 am
According to the Hindu.com article, there is also a secondary payload of 180 kg: India's Advanced Avionics Module (AAM)
I guess, this one remains attached to the fourth stage as it only tests new avionics for future PSLV flights.

Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/11/2007 10:59 pm
PSLV-C8 launch is schedule for April 23!!!

See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/PSLV-C8_to_be_launched_on_April_23/articleshow/1891820.cms
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/12/2007 02:17 pm
"Indian space agency set for first commercial launch of foreign satellite"

http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/070412055533.2ym2ruth.html
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2007 09:38 pm
More news about this forthcoming launch:

"ISRO aims for the stars; to carry an Italian satellite to space"
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1090745

"PSLV to launch Agile on 23rd April"
http://www.domain-b.com/organisation/isro/20070413_launch.html
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/18/2007 09:53 am
The Agile satellite has been integrated with the PSLV launch vehicle on April 15th! See at http://193.204.103.147/
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/18/2007 10:01 am
Some interesting sources about this launch:

http://www.iasfbo.inaf.it/agile/ (with lots of photos!)

and

http://www.cgspace.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143&Itemid=66

Until this moment I didn't find any dedicated page from the ISRO space agency about this launch...
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/18/2007 10:03 pm
"ISRO set for PSLV commercial launch"

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009135
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/20/2007 05:41 pm
It is now available the ISRO page dedicated to the PSLV-C8 mission at http://www.isro.org/pslv-c8/index.htm

The PSLV is at the Second Launch Pad. See images at http://www.isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/index.htm
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: 02hurnella on 04/20/2007 05:47 pm
Why dont the Italians just wait for Vega, it could easily launch this and will be ready this year.....
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/20/2007 05:50 pm
Quote
02hurnella - 20/4/2007  12:47 PM

Why dont the Italians just wait for Vega, it could easily launch this and will be ready this year.....

I think that there is still mutch work to be done with Vega before the first commercial launch.
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: MKremer on 04/20/2007 05:54 pm
Quote
Satori - 20/4/2007  12:50 PM

Quote
02hurnella - 20/4/2007  12:47 PM

Why dont the Italians just wait for Vega, it could easily launch this and will be ready this year.....

I think that there is still mutch work to be done with Vega before the first commercial launch.
Their latest test failure could end up setting them back and additional 6 months to a year from their original planned timeline.
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: edkyle99 on 04/20/2007 09:25 pm
PSLV usually has several strap-on motors and two tanks that hold the injection fluid for the first stage thrust vector control system.  This PSLV doesn't have any strap-on solids, but it appears to have four of the injection fluid tanks.  Either the launch vehicle needs more TVC fluid in the absence of strap-on booster augmentation, or the extra "tanks" are part of an auxiliary roll control system.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Skyrocket on 04/20/2007 11:01 pm
Quote
edkyle99 - 20/4/2007  11:25 PM

This PSLV doesn't have any strap-on solids, but it appears to have four of the injection fluid tanks.
 - Ed Kyle

reportedly two of the pods are roll-conrol engines, not fluid injection tanks.

Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: Space Lizard on 04/21/2007 08:14 am
Quote
Satori - 20/4/2007  7:50 PM

Quote
02hurnella - 20/4/2007  12:47 PM

Why dont the Italians just wait for Vega, it could easily launch this and will be ready this year.....

I think that there is still mutch work to be done with Vega before the first commercial launch.

Vega will also be twice the price of PSLV-CA (i.e. PSLV-C w/o strap-ons).
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: mr.columbus on 04/21/2007 07:38 pm
Quote
02hurnella - 20/4/2007  1:47 PM

Why dont the Italians just wait for Vega, it could easily launch this and will be ready this year.....

1. Vega's first launch is NET End of 2008.
2. Vega has a payload capacity to a 700km circular oobit of 1.5 tons. AGILE has a mass of 360 kg. A launch on Vega would have been a bit of an overkil unless AGILE would be the secondary payload on Vega... however, CNES launched COROT (600kg) on a Soyuz-2...
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: Satori on 04/21/2007 09:20 pm
Quote
Satori - 20/4/2007  12:41 PM

The PSLV is at the Second Launch Pad. See images at http://www.isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/index.htm

This page has been updated with more photos!!!
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch
Post by: astropl on 04/23/2007 10:48 am
Launch of PSLV is successfull!

http://www.isro.org/index.htm
Title: RE: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: paygar on 04/23/2007 12:13 pm
Article on The Hindu Business Line:

http://www.blonnet.com/2007/01/11/stories/2007011105861000.htm
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: eeergo on 04/23/2007 01:05 pm
Congratulations to this successful launch! Nice to see the PSLV is becoming a reliable launcher that even lofts paying customers' satellites... let's hope the GSLV overcomes its difficulties and does so too.
Title: RE: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: jacqmans on 04/23/2007 01:43 pm
PSLV Successfully Launches Italian Satellite
April 23, 2007  
 
 In its eleventh flight, conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, this afternoon (April 23, 2007), ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C8, successfully launched the 352 kg Italian astronomical satellite, AGILE, into a 550 km circular orbit, inclined at an angle of 2.5 deg to the equator.

PSLV-C8 mission was unique in many respects. In this mission, PSLV was flown, for the first time, without the six strap-on motors of the first stage. Also, for the first time, PSLV launched a satellite into an equatorial circular orbit of 550 km. PSLV-C8 was the first major commercial launch the contract for which was won against stiff international competition.

Along with the Italian satellite, AGILE, an Advanced Avionics Module (AAM), weighing 185 kg, to test advanced launch vehicle avionics systems like mission computers, navigation and telemetry systems, was also flown on PSLV-C8. All the operational flights of PSLV so far have been successful and thus PSLV has emerged as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO.

After the final count down, PSLV-C8 lifted off from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at SDSC SHAR at 3:30 pm with the ignition of the core first stage. The important flight events included the separation of the first stage, ignition of the second stage, separation of the payload fairing at about 116 km altitude after the vehicle had cleared the dense atmosphere, second stage separation, third stage ignition and third stage separation, fourth stage ignition and fourth stage cut-off. AGILE was placed in orbit 1370.7 sec after lift off.  

With a much lighter payload and the low inclination of the orbit in which AGILE was to be placed, PSLV-C8 was configured, for the first time, without the six solid propellant strap-on motors of the first stage. Also, the propellant in the fourth stage had been reduced by about 400 kg compared to the previous PSLV flight. The core-alone PSLV-C8 had a lift-off mass of 230 tonne.

PSLV has emerged as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO with ten consecutively successful flights so far. Since its first successful launch in 1994, PSLV has launched eight Indian remote sensing satellites, an amateur radio satellite, HAMSAT, a recoverable space capsule, SRE-1, and six small satellites for foreign customers into 550-800 km high polar Sun Synchronous Orbits (SSO). Besides, it has launched India’s exclusive meteorological satellite, Kalpana-1, into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). PSLV will also be used to launch India’s first spacecraft mission to moon, Chandrayaan-1, during 2008.

In its standard configuration, the 44 m tall PSLV has a lift-off mass of 295 tonne. It is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and the third stages as well as the six strap-ons surrounding the first stage using HTPB based solid propellant. PSLV’s first stage is one of the largest solid propellant boosters in the world. Its second and fourth stages use liquid propellants. PSLV’s bulbous payload fairing has a diameter of 3.2 metre. The vehicle has S-band telemetry and C-band transponder systems for monitoring its health and flight status respectively. It also has sophisticated auxiliary systems like stage and payload fairing separation systems.

AGILE

AGILE is an X-ray and Gamma ray astronomical satellite of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Rome. The design, development and fabrication activities of the satellite were led by Carlo Gavazzi Space, Milan, Italy. The launch was arranged by Cosmos International through Antrix Corporation. The satellite carries scientific instruments capable of studying distant celestial objects in X-ray and Gamma ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
 
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: Esse on 04/23/2007 02:51 pm
http://agile.rm.iasf.cnr.it/agilevideo.html
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: rocco_fanucci on 04/23/2007 05:57 pm
Another video of PSLV launch: http://blog.reallyrocketscience.com/node/569
Title: RE: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: paygar on 04/24/2007 02:47 pm
ISRO Pressrelease
http://isro.org/pressrelease/Apr23_2007.htm

Pics from the Launch

http://isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/ph37.jpg

http://isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/ph36.jpg

http://isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/ph35.jpg

http://isro.org/pslv-c8/photo/ph34.jpg

paygar
Title: Re: PSLV-C8 launch - April 23
Post by: sammie on 04/24/2007 09:37 pm
Interesting article (http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/24/stories/2007042414931500.htm)At $29,000 a key that makes a little under $10mln for the flight, but this is mainly due to the specific orbit. 3 more launches scheduled for this year, 1 x GSLV + 2 x PSLV
Title: Re: PSLV-C8, AGILE - April 23 2007
Post by: Danderman on 01/18/2019 08:58 pm
This mission placed the payload in an orbit at 2.9 degrees inclination. As far as I know, no other PSLV has put a LEO payload in such a low inclination orbit. Because of the unique orbit, this mission would have entailed unique drop zones, a unique flight path, and some sort of unusual yaw control. But, nothing was written about that aspect of the mission, so it’s all a minor mystery.
Title: Re: PSLV-C8, AGILE - April 23 2007
Post by: isro-watch on 01/20/2019 04:51 am
Yes, AGILE's 2 degree inclination was the least inclination orbit provided by PSLV. Other notable ones are

Astrosat -  6 deg incl
TeLeos-1 + other satellite - 15 deg incl
TecSar and Risat-2 - 40 deg incl