LATEST NEWS – The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro’s) historic feat of hurling 104 satellites in one go, a record by any space agency, is set to open up a global opportunity and make India a one-stop shop for building and hurling micro satellites.
Over the next five years, over 3,000 such satellites with sizes varying from a small shoebox to a 24-inch television set and weighing one kg to 50 kg are expected to be built and launched by various players, according to SpaceWorks Inc, a US space industry researcher.
The biggest such move will be by OneWeb, the Softbank-funded satellite venture which has India’s Bharti as a partner. It will launch 648 small satellites to provide high-speed internet to remotest corners of the world.
Planet Labs, which acquired the satellite infrastructure of Google, on Wednesday used for a second time the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket to hurl 88 micro satellites or Doves into space.
ISRO sees an immense opportunity for two reasons – first, there is a global shortage of launchers for small satellite missions; and second, there is a sudden rush of private industry in the US and Europe to send hundreds of satellites to space for various needs. These needs include weather tracking, navigation on the sea where there is little connectivity so far, and providing high-speed internet to remotest parts of the world. READ MORE
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