In News :

Context :

• National space agency ISRO has scheduled its first launches this year.
• PSLV C-44 will lift off from the spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, carrying a student satellite called Kalamsat and an imaging satellite known as Microsat-R.
• One of the specialities of the mission this time would be the configuration of the rocket. It will carry only two strap-on motors by the sides of the first fuel stage at the bottom. This is the first time the launch vehicle is built in this configuration, known as PSLV-DL.
• Furthermore, after parking the satellites in the intended orbits, the fourth stage of the rocket will be taken to a circular orbit in space for carrying out certain experiments by the scientists.
• Normally, the fourth stage would be deserted in space after the injection of the satellites. This time, it will be kept ‘live’ for carrying out innovative studies.