Lok Sabha Question No. 41 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Launch of Nano Satellites
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, P.R. SUNDARAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.41

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

## LAUNCH OF NANO SATELLITES

- *41. SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) placed 30 nano satellites and an earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 in  a  single  launch  by  its  Polar  Satellite  Launch  Vehicle  PSLV C-38 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether majority of satellites were from foreign countries and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the foreign exchange earned out of this satellite launch;
- (d) whether ISRO has taken steps to protect these satellites from space debris once they are made functional; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) to  (e)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****

STATEMENT LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN REPLY TO NANO P.R.

STARRED QUESTION NO.41 REGARDING 'LAUNCH OF SATELLITES'  ASKED  BY SHRI SATAV  RAJEEV  AND  SHRI SUNDARAM FOR ANSWER ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017.

- (a) Yes,  Madam.  Indian  Space  Research  Organisation  (ISRO)  has successfully  launched  an  Indian  earth  observation  satellite 'Cartosat-2 series' (weighing 712 kg) as primary payload on-board  its  Polar  Satellite  Launch  Vehicle  (PSLV-C38)  on June 23, 2017 at 09:29 hrs along with 30 Nano satellites (total weighing 243 kg) in a single launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.

The Cartosat-2 series satellite provides high resolution images of  earth's  surface  at  sub-meter  resolution  (Black  &  White image)  and  at  2-meter  resolution  (4-band  colored  image)  for large scale mapping applications.

Out of these 30 Nano satellites, 29 satellites from  14 foreign arrangement between  Antrix  Corporation  Limited  (Antrix),  the  commercial arm  of  ISRO  and  the  foreign  customers.  One  Nano  satellite NIUSAT  (weighing  15  kg)  was  from  Noorul  Islam  University, countries were launched under commercial Tamil Nadu.

- (b) Yes, Madam. Out of these 30 Nano satellites, 29 satellites were from 14 foreign countries viz. Austria (1), Belgium (3), Chile (1), Czech  Republic  (1),  France  (1),  Finland  (1), Germany  (1),

Italy (3), Japan (1), Latvia (1), Lithuania (1), Slovakia (1), UK (3) and USA (10).

- (c) Antrix  has  earned  foreign  exchange  of  about  6.1  Million  Euro through launching of the 29 Nano satellites.

(d) & (e)

ISRO has taken measures to protect its operational satellites from  space  debris  by  carrying  out  (i)  collision  avoidance studies for all launch vehicles of ISRO to clear lift-off time; and (ii)  space object proximity analysis on a daily basis to assess close  conjunction  with  other  space  objects,  in  particular,  of those objects identified by Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination  Committee  (IADC).  The  foreign  satellites  have reported satisfactory reception of signal after the launch and are monitored by respective customers.

*****