
A handout picture made available by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dated 19 April 2009 and made available 20 April 2009, showing India's PSLV-C12 on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Andrha Pradesh, some 110 km north of southern Indian city of Chennai. India's defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO successfully launched 20 April 2009 its first all-weather spy satellite the PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT from ISRO's Satish Dhawan space Centre at 6:45am and placed it into 550 km orbit around earth. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport, about 90km north of Chennai. At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage. RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. EPA/ISRO/HO

A handout picture made available by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dated 19 April 2009 and made available 20 April 2009, showing India's PSLV-C12 on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Andrha Pradesh, some 110 km north of southern Indian city of Chennai. India's defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO successfully launched 20 April 2009 its first all-weather spy satellite the PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT from ISRO's Satish Dhawan space Centre at 6:45am and placed it into 550 km orbit around earth. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport, about 90km north of Chennai. At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage. RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. EPA/ISRO/HO

A handout picture made available by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dated 19 April 2009 and made available 20 April 2009, showing India's PSLV-C12 on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Andrha Pradesh, some 110 km north of southern Indian city of Chennai. India's defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO successfully launched 20 April 2009 its first all-weather spy satellite the PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT from ISRO's Satish Dhawan space Centre at 6:45am and placed it into 550 km orbit around earth. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport, about 90km north of Chennai. At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage. RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. EPA/ISRO/HO

A handout picture made available by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dated 19 April 2009 and made available 20 April 2009, showing India's PSLV-C12 on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Andrha Pradesh, some 110 km north of southern Indian city of Chennai. India's defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO successfully launched 20 April 2009 its first all-weather spy satellite the PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT from ISRO's Satish Dhawan space Centre at 6:45am and placed it into 550 km orbit around earth. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport, about 90km north of Chennai. At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage. RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. EPA/ISRO/HO

A handout picture made available by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dated 19 April 2009 and made available 20 April 2009, showing India's PSLV-C12 on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Andrha Pradesh, some 110 km north of southern Indian city of Chennai. India's defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO successfully launched 20 April 2009 its first all-weather spy satellite the PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT from ISRO's Satish Dhawan space Centre at 6:45am and placed it into 550 km orbit around earth. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport, about 90km north of Chennai. At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage. RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. EPA/ISRO/HO
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