Slashdot Mirror
India Launches Record 20 Satellites In Space Using A Single Rocket (indiatimes.com)
William Robinson writes from a report via Times of India: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) used its workhorse PSLV-C34 to inject 20 satellites which includes 17 satellites from various countries like US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia, into orbit in a single mission and set a new record on Wednesday. In the final stages of the mission, ISRO also demonstrated the vehicle's capability to place satellites in different orbits. In the demonstration, the vehicle reignited twice after its fourth and final stage and moved further a few kilometers into another orbit. Also included are a couple of satellites from academic institutions, Sathyabamasat from Sathyabhama University, Chennai and Swayam from College of Engineering, Pune. From the report: "The 320 ton Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C34) took off on its 36th flight at 9:26 a.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Center with 20 satellites including its primary payload Cartosat-2 series, which provides remote sensing services, and earth observation and imaging satellites from U.S., Canada, Germany and Indonesia. It was also the 14th flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration with the use of solid strap-on motors. ISRO scientists said, the vehicle had been pre-programmed for today's launch to perform tiny maneuvering to place the 20 satellites into polar sun-synchronous orbits with different inclinations and velocities. It ensured that the satellites were placed with enough distance to prevent collision."
A great demonstration of Indian technological ability. As they say, when India was partitioned one part got its flag on the moon while the other part got a moon on its flag.
> We already have far too many satellites and pieces of debris in orbit [...]
Says you while whipping out the smartphone to get location (GPS) and directions (mapping satellites) -- and a weather forecast for tomorrow (weather satellites) to attend the open-air folk festival.
Look, I'm too of the opinion that our current system is too wasteful of everything (human, natural resources) and that we should be thinking hard on how to do things better, on how to rein-in uncontrolled capitalism, led by pure greed, to better serve us humans. There's lot to criticize. Let's do that.
But "India... sholdn't be doing this" is not part of my utopia. Who should? USA? Finland? Vanuatu? Nobody?
If you possess any tiny bit of modern tech *you* are part of it. If you don't want it: go to the Amish. But then you would be cut off from wanking on slashdot.