Satellites were dropped one by one by ISRO's rocket that was launched on Friday.
Indian space agency ISRO has released visuals taken by cameras on board the rocket that was successfully launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh yesterday. The pictures were taken as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) travelled at over 27,000 kilometres per hour and successfully dropped 31 satellites sequentially in space.
At 23 seconds of the video, a clear separation of the heat shield - that protects the space vehicle from the high temperatures generated due to friction as it leaves the Earth's atmosphere -- is seen, something that did not happen during the earlier launch in August last year.
"Cartosat 2", the heaviest of the satellites carried by the rocket, was the first to be ejected. The surveillance satellite that weighs 710 kilograms will also help India monitor its borders and keep an eye on neighbours.
31 satellites including a surveillance satellite were launched by ISRO on Friday.
As the rocket flew over the Indian Ocean against a sullen skyline, the smaller satellites from foreign vendors were placed in orbit, one after the other. Lastly, India's 100th indigenously built satellite "Microsat" was put in orbit, nearly one hour and forty five minutes into the mission.
ISRO's rocket blasting off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.
The rocket lifted off at 9.29 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. On board were satellites from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Republic of Korea and Finland. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated ISRO on the successful launch of the rocket that carried 31 satellites weighing over 1300 kilograms.