ISRO successfully launches 103 satellites into space; Here's 5 key things to know

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday, successfully launched a record of 103 co-passenger satellites from a single rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre located in Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh.

ISRO tweeted saying, "The PSLV-C37 / Cartosat -2 Series Mission Successfully Launched all 103 Satellites."

PSLV-C37 / Cartosat -2 Series Mission Successfully Launched all 104 Satellites

— ISRO (@isro) February 15, 2017

PSLV-C37 Successfully launched Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 103 co-passenger satelliteshttps://t.co/I4jhAcLcce pic.twitter.com/LXID70aWf6

— ISRO (@isro) February 15, 2017

The PSLV rocket after seventeen minutes of its launch, started placing the satellites into the orbit, one by one, with a time-frame of about 11 minutes.

As the launch was taking place, ISRO tweeted, “The PSLV-C37 / Cartosat-2 series Mission Lift off Normal as expected.”

PSLV-C37 / Cartosat-2 series Mission Lift off Normal as expected.

— ISRO (@isro) February 15, 2017

The rocket which carried these 103 satellites was called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). As mentioned by ISRO, it took off from Sriharikota at 9.28 a.m. 

Here are five key things to know.

The PSLV was 44.4 metre high, weighing at 320 tonne with a combined weight of 1,500 kilograms. This included 650 Kg Cartosat-2D and two nano-satellites namely INS-1A and INS-1B weighing 15 Kg each. 

The co-passenger satellites include nano satellites, one each from various countries like Israel, Kazakhstan, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and 96 from US. Two nano satellites belonged to India.

These satellites have a single panchromatic camera which can detect scene specific images. The images are expected to be utilized for cartographic applications, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation. 

While the two Inertial Navigational System (INS-IA & INS-1B) adapts computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors (gyroscopes) for future science and experimental payload.

The launch of 103 satellites have now surpassed Russia's record of launching 37 satellites from single rocket on June 19, 2014. Russia with its satellite launch surpassed the NASA's record of 29 satellites. 

Indian space agency had carried a launch of 23 satellites in one go in the month of June 2016. 

Last month, ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said, "By launching 104 satellites together, we are trying to maximize our workhorse rocket's capability and optimally utilise it for maximum return on investment."