The 50-hour countdown for the September 28 launch of PSLV-C30 carrying ASTROSAT satellite for the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial objects has begun, ISRO said.
The countdown activity of PSLV-C30/ASTROSAT Mission started at 08:00 hours today, Indian Space Research Organisation said.
PSLV-C30 carrying ASTROSAT along with six other co- passengers, one satellite each from Indonesia and Canada, and four nano satellites from the US is scheduled for launch on September 28 at 10 am from the space port of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Mission Readiness Review (MRR) committee and Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) that met yesterday had cleared the launch of PSLV-C30.
Commenting on the launch, ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar had recently said, "What it means for India is this: it is one of the first scientific missions which will be available to the Indian researcher community as an observation opportunity. This is a starting point for such things."
ASTROSAT is India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory. This scientific satellite mission endeavours for a more detailed understanding of our universe.
One of the unique features of ASTROSAT mission is that it enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite, ISRO said.
