India launches first commercial rocket into space

India launches first commercial rocket into space. It carried 352kg Italian italian satellite. India got paid $11 mil for this launch.

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First commerical launch of PSLV-C8 successful


India's first commercial rocket has been launched into space.
The rocket, a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), took off from the Sriharikota base in southern India at 1530 Indian time (1000 GMT).

It is carrying a 352kg Italian satellite which will gather information about the origins of the universe, the AFP news agency reports.

Reports say that India is being paid $11m to launch the Italian satellite.



[edit on 23-4-2007 by netscape]

Fair play to India!

I hope this sees a new breed of space company, one that doesn't mind showing people what the Universe looks like. Maybe they will send up some 'real' people in the future.

$11 million doesn't really seem like much though, does it? Surely it cost alot more than that to construct the means to send a satellite into space.

India has unmanned mission to moon in this year may be next year.

I agree that launch costs more than what india received , however they are getting better with that. They are getting experience and trying to reduce cost by trying new / different things.



The launches were achieved with the aid of a single core motor on board the PSLV-C8. For the first time, in its 11th flight, the PSLV's normal system of six strap-on motors was not utilised.

Due to this downsizing of weight, the launch cost was Rs 680 million ($16.3 million) - Rs 120 million lower than the normal price.

Another feature of the flight was that the propellant in the fourth stage was reduced by about 400 kg compared to previous PSLV launches and its lift-off mass was thus 230 tonnes.

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So launch cost was around 4.5 mil to india, but they also put one of their own piece in orbit.

Besides AGILE, India's advanced avionic module (AAM), the secondary payload weighing a mere 183 kg, was also placed in orbit. AAM consists of next generation mission computers, and navigation and telemetry systems.



[edit on 23-4-2007 by netscape]

There was a specific demand from the ASI(Italian Space Agency) that required a satellite inclination of