PSLV C-20 launch today

Indian Space Research Organisation chairman K Radhakrishnan reached Sriharikota in Nellore district on Sunday to  inspect the arrangements for the launch of PSLV C-20 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at SHAR on Monday.

The 59-hour countdown for the launch of the rocket, which will place seven satellites into orbit, from the First Launch Pad (FLP) began on Saturday and will end at 5.56 pm on Monday.  The Isro chief held a confidential meeting with ISRO and foreign scientists in the evening.

The four-stage rocket will use solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The first and third stages will have solid fuel and the second and fourth will have liquid fuel.

Scientists will check the launch vehicle’s navigation system on Monday morning and monitor the climatic conditions prevailing in the space up to a height of 25 km from the earth with the help of balloons.

Isro chief seeks divine blessings

With only a few hours left for the launch of the Indo-French satellite, SARAL, and six other mini and micro satellites aboard the PSLV C-20, its chairman K Radhakrishnan worshipped Sri Venkateswara at the temple on Tirumala on Sunday morning and sought divine blessings for the success of Isro’s 101st mission.

Speaking to reporters later, Radhakrishnan said work on GSLV D5, scheduled to be launched in May this year, was in progress.

Earlier, he had the darshan of Vayulingeswara Swamy at a temple in Srikalahasti, about 40 km from here.