Recent flights of PSLV

PSLV C23

♤ ANTRIX (ISRO’s commercial arm) successfully launched 5 foreign satellites from four countries on board PSLV-C23 rocket which placed them in orbit.

♤ 5 foreign satellites

♤ SPOT 7: French satellite, it will be part of the existing Earth observation satellite. It has been built by European space technology company Airbus Defence and Space.

♤ AISAT: German nano-satellite, to focus on the global sea-traffic monitoring system with special emphasis on high traffic zones using AIS signals.

♤ NLS 7.1 and NLS 7.2: Canadian satellite, they will perform Two-spacecraft precision formation flying using differential GPS with centimetre-level relative position and sub-metre level accurate position control system.

♤ VELOX-1: Singaporean satellite, it is a technology demonstrator for in-house design of image sensor, MEMS-based attitude determination and control system and inter-satellite RF link

Significance of PSLV

♤ The PSLV has launched 71 spacecraft (31 Indian and 40 foreign satellites) into a variety of orbits.

♤ The reliability rate of PSLV has been superb. There had been 27 continuouslysuccessful flights of PSLV, till October 2014

♤ Some notable payloads launched by PSLV include India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe and the Mars Orbiter Mission, IRNSS which are of great significance.

♤ It can be used to send satellites for SAARC countries (as said by PM of India), will help India to exercise its soft power in neighborhood which is becoming more and more important for growth and security

♤ PSLV C27 is planned for December 2014 to launch India IRNSS-1D