ISRO to resume satellite launches in December
Despite suffering a setback due to its unsuccessful satellite launch on 31st August, ISRO announced that it would resume satellite launches from December. The space agency will resume launches after its fact-finding committee submits its investigative report on the failed launch of the IRNSS-1H satellite "soon". The first launch in December is likely to be a replacement for the lost IRNSS-1H.
ISRO chairman confirms plans
ISRO's plans to resume satellite launches was confirmed by both ISRO Chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar and VSSC Director Dr. K. Sivan. Dr. Sivan said that the fact-finding committee was "supposed to submit its report by the 10th of this month", but is taking more time to review more flight data before it comes to any conclusion about the cause of the failed launch.
Dr. Sivan's statement
"We will launch either Cartosat-2 series remote sensing satellite or the replacement satellite IRNSS-1I by November or December. We are yet to finalise which of the two satellites will be launched first," said Dr. Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
The failed launch of the IRNSS-1H
On 31st August, ISRO's PSLV-C39 rocket failed to launch the IRNSS-1H navigation satellite into geo-synchronous orbit. The satellite got stuck in heat shield which failed to separate after launch. The IRNSS-1H is now moving in space, and is expected to enter the earth's atmosphere in two months time. The satellite, due to being part of a government funded project, was not insured.
