The PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch vehicle) of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV C-42 into orbit carrying two international satellites from the United Kingdom -- Nova SAR and S1-4 -- from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on September 16, 2018, at 10:08 pm.

Congratulations to our space scientists! ISRO successfully launched PSLV C42, putting two UK satellites in orbit, demonstrating India's prowess in the competitive space business. @isro Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2018

About NovaSAR satellite

NovaSAR is an S-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite intended for forest mapping, land use and ice cover monitoring, flood and disaster monitoring.

About S1-4 satellite

S1-4 is a high-resolution optical Earth Observation satellite, used for surveying resources, environment monitoring, disaster monitoring, and urban management.

Check out the launch here.

The satellites were launched into a 583 km Sun-synchronous Orbit and weighed around 889 kgs. Both the satellites have been developed by Surrey Satellite Technologies Limited (SSTL), the United Kingdom under a commercial arrangement with Antrix Corporation Limited, Department of Space. This would be the 44th flight of PSLV.

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About the launch vehicle PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)

PSLV-C42 vehicle on the First Launch Pad in Sriharikota.(Image: ISRO)

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.

After its first successful launch in October 1994, PSLV emerged as the reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle of India with 39 consecutively successful missions by June 2017.

During 1994-2017 period, the vehicle launched 48 Indian satellites and 209 satellites for customers from abroad.

PSLV also launched two spacecraft -- Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013 that later travelled to Moon and Mars respectively.

The much-awaited second Indian mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-2, finally has a launch date.

ISRO Chairman K Sivan said that Chandrayaan-2 is likely to be launched on January 3, 2019. It'll also be the first mission in the world which will go near the South Pole.

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