India launches world's 'lightest' satellite into space

Reuters-Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), on Thursday (January 24) night launched what it called the world's lightest satellite from southern spaceport of Sriharikota. Kalamsat weighs only 1.26 kilograms (2.6 pounds) and has been designed by a Chennai-based space education firm, Space Kidz. The student payload was the first to use PS4 (the fourth stage) as an orbital platform. The satellite was launched by ISRO's reliable Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) - a four-stage rocket that on this launch weighed about 260 tonnes. The PSLV successfully injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits. About 13 minutes 26 seconds after lift-off, Microsat-R, an imaging satellite was successfully injected into the intended orbit. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on another successful launch. The Indian space agency is also working on launching its first manned space mission by 2022 that will aim to send a three-member crew to space for five to seven days in a craft that will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 km.