India starts countdown for launch of three satellites

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Monday began a 54-hour countdown for the launch of three satellites, an ISRO press secretary said.

Remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2, as well as Youthsat and X-Sat, will be launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C16) from the spaceport at Sriharikota on April 20.

Mandatory checks on the launch vehicle and spacecraft will be performed, including the readiness of the launch infrastructure such as tracking radar systems and communication networks.

The 1,206-kilogram Resourcesat-2 was built by ISRO to facilitate the study and management of natural resources.

The 92-kilogram Youthsat is a joint Indo-Russian satellite for stellar and atmospheric studies. X-Sat, 106 kilograms, is a microsatellite for imaging applications built by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

Source: RIA Novosti