Two Singaporean satellites, TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4, were successfully put into orbit aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C55 (PSLV-C55) by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on April 22, 2023 from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The mission also marked the 57th flight of the PSLV. It was a dedicated commercial mission undertaken by ISRO through New Space India Limited (NSIL), which is ISRO’s commercial arm.
TeLEOS-2, weighing 741 kg, is the primary satellite and Lumelite-4, weighing 16 kg, is the co-passenger satellite. Intended to be launched into an Eastward low inclination orbit, they were precisely placed into their intended 586-km circular orbit.
About the Satellites
TeLEOS-2 was developed jointly by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) of Singapore, representing the Government of Singapore and ST Engineering, a Singaporean technology and engineering group. Once deployed and operational, it would support satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore. TeLEOS-2 carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload. The satellite would provide all-weather day and night coverage, and is capable of imaging at 1 m full-polarimetric resolution.
Lumelite-4 was co-developed by the Institute for Infocomm Research (I 2 R) of A*STAR and Satellite Technology and Research Centre (STAR) of the National University of Singapore. It is an advanced I2U satellite which would demonstrate the High-Performance Space-borne Very High Frequency (VHF) Data Exchange System (VDES). Using the VDES communication payload, developed by I 2 R and STAR’s scalable satellite bus platform, the satellite intends to augment Singapore’s electronic navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.
PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)-2
The mission also included a PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)-2, where the spent PS4 stage of the launch vehicle would be utilised as an orbital platform to carry out scientific experiments through non-separating payloads. POEM-2 consists of seven experimental non-separable payloads: PSLV in orbitaL Obc and Thermals (PiLOT), an OBC package from IIST; Advanced Retarding Potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS-2) experiment from IIST; HET-based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from Bellatrix; DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-Transceiver in S- & X-bands from Dhruva Space; and Starberry Sense. The payloads belonged to ISRO/Department of Space, Bellatrix, Dhruva Space, and Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
The platform also has solar panels mounted around PS4 tank, deployed through a ground command after confirmation of the stage achieving stabilisation. The platform ensured that the deployed solar panels point towards the Sun optimally using the appropriate sun-pointing mode, which would increase the power generation capability of the platform. The power would be provided to payloads and avionic packages as per their requirements.
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