Countdown starts for PSLV-C18/Megha-Tropiques Mission

Posted by- Neelam Mathews
Oct 12, 2011
The Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) for PSLV-C18/Megha-Tropiques mission,
which met on October 9 at Satish Dhawan Space Center(SDSC) - SHAR, Sriharikota has cleared the launch of PSLV-C18 .

The 50 hour countdown commenced on October 10. During the Countdown, propellant-filling operations of the liquid propellant second stage (PS2) and fourth stage (PS4) of the launch vehicle are being carried out. Mandatory checks on the launch vehicle and spacecraft including charging of batteries and pressurisation of propellant tanks will be performed. Readiness of various ground systems such as tracking radar systems and communication networks will also be checked.

PSLV-C18 will inject Megha-Tropiques satellite into an orbit of 867 km altitude at an inclination of 20 deg with respect to the equator. In this ission, PSLV will also inject SRMSat from SRM University, Chennai, Jugnu rom Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Vesselsat-1 from Luxembourg into orbit.