Photos of successful Indian rocket launch
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 30, 2014
A commercial imaging satellite blasted off on top of an Indian rocket Monday, reaching orbit a few minutes later to punctuate the deployment of a fleet of French spacecraft designed to monitor Earth with regularity and precision.
Carrying a sharp-eyed camera able to resolve objects on the ground as small as cars, the Spot 7 satellite joins an identical craft launched in 2012 to collect daily imagery of any point on the globe.
The spacecraft lifted off on top of a 14-story Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle at 0422 GMT (12:22 a.m. EDT) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on India's east coast. The four-stage rocket released the 1,574-pound satellite in orbit less than 18 minutes later.
Four small co-passengers deployed from the PSLV's fourth stage moments later, beginning experimental missions for organizations in Germany, Canada and Singapore.
The Indian Space Research Organization declared the launch a success.
Read our full story for details on the mission.
Credit: ISRO
Credit: ISRO
Credit: ISRO
Credit: ISRO
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