19 launches in 7 months; ISRO's highest density period

After a brief five months hiatus, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is readying for 19 launches, including the Chandrayaan-2 mission, starting from this month.

All launches will be conducted within seven months, starting from this September to March next year.

According to a TOI report, ISRO's chairman K Sivan said that they will conduct 19 missions, including 10 satellites and 9 launch vehicles, which will be the highest density period for launches as they have not launched two satellites within 30 days consecutively for months.


The first launch, as per the report, is scheduled on September 15 with the PSLV C42 mission, which will carry UK satellites--Novasar and S1-4--as the main payload. This will completely be a commercial launch.

The launch of GSLV Mk III-D2 aka 'Baahubali' will follow in October, which is deemed the most powerful rocket of ISRO according to the report. Gsat-29 communication satellite will be lifted along with the rocket; this will play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide in rural India. Another launch scheduled in the same month will be PSLV C43 rocket carrying hyperspectral imaging satellite, which will enable India to see in 55 colour bands from 630 km.

November will witness two more launches. GSLV F11 will launch a satellite named Gsat-7A, which will be dedicated to the Indian Air Force and help them in interlinking their bases and ground radar stations. On November 30, 5.6 tonne Gsat-11 will be launched from Frech Guiana. It is said to be the heaviest satellite which was recently called back for rechecks.

The month of December will see launches of Emisat and Gsat-31. The latter will be a replacement for Insat 4CR.

The launch mission will continue in the next year with the launch of Chandrayaan-2. The dateline from January 3 to February 16 will include launches of PSLV C45-which will carry Risat-2B (a remote sensing satellite), two satellites--Cartosat-3 (remote sensing satellite) and NEMO AM (earth monitoring satellite) of PSLV C46.

Finally, in March, ISRO plans to launch Risat-2BR1. According to the report, Risat-2B, Cartosat-3, and Risat-2BR1 will increase the surveillance capabilities of India.