PSLV C-44 seen lifting off from the first launch pad from SHAR spaceport earlier this evening

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its 46th flight, launched the Kalamsat and DRDO's Microsat-R from the First Launch Pad (FLP) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

PSLV is a four stage launch vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages. The PSLV with 2 strap-on configuration was identified for this mission and the configuration is designated as PSLV-DL. PSLV-C44 was the first mission of PSLV-DL and is a new variant of PSLV.

In PSLV-C44, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle was placed to higher circular orbit so as to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments by the student community. Kalamsat, a student payload will be the first to use PS4 as orbital platform. This will be a big boon to the budding space scientists among the academia across the country. This mission will ensure that birth of many prospective Dr. Vikram Sarabhai's (the father of the Indian space program) in the making.

More significantly, PSLV-C44 also carried DRDO's  Microsat-R, military surveillance satellite.

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