India’s space agency on Monday used its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to place into orbit an Indian defence satellite and 28 foreign satellites and then turned the PSLV’s fourth stage itself into an orbital platform for space experiments. The PSLV lifted off from the Sriharikota at 9.27am and injected EMISAT into a 748km polar orbit about 17 minutes later, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said. An Isro spokesperson declined to discuss the satellite’s objectives but said it is a Defence Research and Development Organisation satellite. The broad application of electronics intelligence is to gain superiority in electronic warfare. “The PSLV vehicle achieved three different orbits and for the first time the fourth stage itself is powered by solar panels,” he said.

Source: The Telegraph April 01, 2019 22:18 UTC