India Set To Launch DS-SAR Satellite On July 30 From Sriharikota Centre

India will launch the PSLV-C56 rocket on July 30, carrying the DS-SAR satellite from Singapore and six other co-passenger satellites. The launch is scheduled for 6:30 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

All the satellites will be placed in a specific orbit called the Near Equatorial Orbit. This orbit is positioned at an angle of 5 degrees from the equator and at a height of 535 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

India developed the DS-SAR satellite through a partnership with Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and ST Engineering.

Once operational, the DS-SAR satellite will support the satellite imagery needs of the Singaporean government. ST Engineering, on the other hand, will use it to provide improved and more responsive images and location-based services for their commercial clients.

The DS-SAR satellite, weighing around 355 kgs carries a special payload called Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This radar technology enables DS-SAR to take pictures and gather data, regardless of the weather or time of day. It can even capture images with very high detail, down to one-meter resolution, using a technique called full polarimetry.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is like a special camera on the DS-SAR satellite that can take pictures of the Earth’s surface using radio waves instead of light. It works like a bat using sound waves to “see” in the dark. The radar on the satellite sends out radio waves towards the ground, and when these waves hit something, like a building or a tree, they bounce back to the radar. The radar then collects these bouncing waves and uses them to create detailed pictures of the things on the ground.

The cool thing about SAR is that it can “see” through clouds and even in the dark because it doesn’t need sunlight to work. It can take pictures day or night, and it’s not affected by bad weather. This makes it really useful for things like finding out what’s happening on the Earth’s surface during storms or at night.

Polarimetry, on the other hand, is like a special feature of the SAR camera. It helps the camera to understand more about the things it’s looking at. It’s like being able to tell if an object is bumpy or smooth, or if it’s made of metal or wood. This extra information helps us learn more about the objects on the ground and makes the DS-SAR satellite even more helpful for different tasks, like helping farmers with their crops or helping the government keep an eye on things from space.

The NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which is a government organization responsible for space activities, purchased the PSLV-C56 rocket. They obtained this rocket to launch the DS-SAR satellite into space.

The upcoming PSLV-C56 launch will be the 58th flight of the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and the 17th flight in its Core Alone configuration. When they say “Core Alone,” it means that the PSLV will not have any strap-on boosters attached to its core stage. The core stage is the main part of the rocket responsible for the initial phase of the launch.

There are 6-Co passenger Satellites Velox AM, Arcaade, Scoob, NuLIon, Gaalassia 2 and Strider.

VELOX-AM, a 23kg microsatellite developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, aims to test Additive Manufactured (AM)- space craft parts and payloads in the challenging space environment. By carrying these components into space, VELOX-AM will gather valuable data to enhance the design and performance of AM-produced parts for future space missions.

ARCADE is a 27-unit Cube Sat developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in collaboration with the INSPIRE consortium. It is designed to be 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm in size, consisting of 27 individual cubes. This larger size allows ARCADE to carry various scientific instruments and payloads. The satellite uses an iodine-based propulsion system based on a Hall effect thruster. The propulsion system utilizes an iodine and compound mixture as a solid propellant, which is ignited to generate thrust. This innovative system enables ARCADE to maintain its orbit in low Earth orbit effectively.

SCOOB-II is a small satellite developed by a student team at NTU in Singapore. It is a 3U Cube, weighing 4 kgs, roughly the size of a shoebox. The satellite is designed to operate in space for 6 months. It utilizes a three-axis controlled reaction wheel assembly to control its orientation in space.

NuLIoN is a lightweight 3U Cube satellite developed by NuSpace, weighing only 3kgs and roughly the size of a shoebox. Its primary purpose is to offer continuous LoRaWAN IoT services, utilizing a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology specifically designed for connecting IoT devices. NuLIoN will be the pioneering satellite in a constellation that aims to provide LoRaWAN services to IoT devices in the equatorial region. This technology enables physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and network connectivity to collect and interchange data, opening up opportunities such as connected cars with collision-sensing capabilities and wearable devices that track fitness and health data.

Galassia-2, a nano satellite weighing 3.5 kgs and developed by students at the National University of Singapore (NUS), is a 3U spacecraft designed for an inter-satellite link (ISL) with TeLEOS-1. Its compact size, similar to a shoebox, allows it to demonstrate the use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) multispectral imagery for space applications. TeLEOS-1, an Earth observation satellite operated by ST Electronics (STEE), was launched in December 2015 and serves as the partner for Galassia-2’s ISL. By utilizing COTS multispectral imagery, Galassia-2 can study the Earth’s surface, monitor changes, and support applications like disaster management and environmental monitoring.

6.Developed through an international collaboration led by Singapore’s ALIENA, ORB-12 STRIDER is a satellite designed to showcase advanced propulsion systems for small satellite constellations. Its notable feature includes being equipped with the world’s first Multi-modal all-Electric Propulsion Engine (MEPE). This cutting-edge engine enables ORB-12 STRIDER to execute a range of maneuvers in space with higher efficiency compared to traditional propulsion systems.(IPA Service)