'Shotgun' Launch Breaks Russian Record

It's a record! On Monday, India successfully launched not one, not two... but 10 satellites into orbit, in what could best be described as a 'shotgun' launch.

All 10 satellites rode into orbit onboard a single Polar PSLV-9 rocket, according to The Times of India. The combined 1,820-lb. payload included India's Cartosat-2A remote sensing satellite, an Indian Mini Satellite, and eight other "nano" satellites from Europe, Canada and Japan.

The "textbook" launch was the 12 successful flight for India's Polar rocket booster, and the 13th for the rocket's fourth-stage, which was responsible for placing each satellite into the proper orbit.

Monday's flight broke the record previously held by Russia, which launched eight satellites together. G Madhavan Nair, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, termed Monday's launch "satisfactory."

"We could not detect even the slightest deviation from the designated trajectory, so that shows the mission was perfect, and spacecrafts were delivered on the dot," he said.

India plans an unmanned lunar mission before the end of 2008.

FMI: www.isro.org