| PSLV-C2 | |
| Names List: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle |
| Mission Type: | Deployment of three satellites |
| Operator: | ISRO |
| Website: | ISRO website |
| Mission Duration: | 1117.5 seconds |
| Spacecraft: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle |
| Spacecraft Type: | Expendable launch vehicle |
| Manufacturer: | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Launch Date: | 26 May 1999, 06:22 UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle |
| Launch Site: | Sriharikota Launching Range |
| Launch Contractor: | ISRO |
| Orbit Regime: | Low Earth orbit |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Payload Items: | Oceansat-1 KITSAT-3 DLR-Tubsat |
| Insignia Size: | 200px |
| Programme: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle missions |
| Previous Mission: | PSLV-C1 |
| Next Mission: | PSLV-C3 |
PSLV-C2 was the second operational launch and overall fifth mission of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program. This launch was also the forty-third launch by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since its first mission on 1 January 1962. The vehicle carried three satellites which were deployed in the Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The vehicle carried India's first remote sensing satellite Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) as the main payload. It also carried South Korean satellite KITSAT-3 and German satellite DLR-Tubsat as auxiliary payloads.[1] PSLV-C2 was the first Indian Expendable launch vehicle to carry and deploy more than one satellite in a mission. This was also India's and ISRO's first commercial spaceflight where South Korea and Germany each paid US$1.0 million (equivalent to $ million in) to ISRO for launching their satellites.[5] [6]
PSLV-C2 carried and deployed total three satellites. Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) was the main payload and KITSAT-3 and DLR-Tubsat were two auxiliary payloads that were mounted on PSLV-C2 equipment bay diametrically opposite to each other. Oceansat-1, was mounted on top of the equipment bay. In the flight sequence, IRS-P4 was injected first, followed by KITSAT-3 and then DLR-Tubsat.[1] [8] [9]
| Country | Name | No. | Mass | Type | Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Oceansat-1 | 1 | 1050 kg | Remote sensing | |
| KITSAT-3 | 1 | 107 kg | Test and demonstrate new satellite bus & its payloads | ||
| Germany | DLR-Tubsat | 1 | 45 kg | Microsatellite | Test newly developed attitude control system |
PSLV-C2 was launched at 06:22 UTC on 26 May 1999 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (then called "Sriharikota Launching Range"). The mission was planned with pre-flight prediction of perigee and apogee of . The actual perigee was 723.1 km, apogee was 735.1 km. Following was the planned flight profile.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [7]
| Time (seconds) | Altitude (kilometer) | Velocity (meter/sec) | Event | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T+0 | 0.02 | 450 | First stage ignition | Lift-off | |
| T+1.2 | 0.02 | 450 | Ignition of 4 ground-lit strap-on motors | ||
| T+25.1 | 2.43 | 540 | Ignition of 2 air-lit strap-on motors | ||
| T+68.1 | 23.10 | 1,100 | Separation of 4 ground-lit strap-on motors | ||
| T+90.1 | 40.21 | 1,520 | Separation of 2 air-lit strap-on motors | ||
| T+117.7 | 72.08 | 1,970 | First stage separation | ||
| T+117.9 | 72.38 | 1,970 | Second stage ignition | ||
| T+162.7 | 120.71 | 2,210 | Heat shield separation | ||
| T+167.7 | 126.60 | 2,260 | Closed-loop guidance initiation | ||
| T+284.5 | 254.03 | 4,070 | Second stage separation | ||
| T+285.7 | 255.46 | 4,060 | Third stage ignition | ||
| T+506.4 | 533.57 | 5,970 | Third stage separation | ||
| T+584.4 | 605.44 | 5,870 | Fourth stage ignition | ||
| T+991.7 | 728.25 | 7,490 | Fourth stage thrust cut-off | ||
| T+1017.5 | 728.66 | 7,490 | Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) separation | ||
| T+1067.5 | 729.51 | 7,490 | KITSAT-3 separation | ||
| T+1117.5 | 730.41 | 7,490 | DLR-Tubsat separation | ||
The launch was witnessed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India), Murli Manohar Joshi, Vasundhara Raje and N. Chandrababu Naidu.[6]