India’s Space Agency Plans To Bring 22 Satellites To Orbit Via Single Rocket Launch

India has no plans to be outdone by commercial enterprises like Blue Origin and SpaceX when it comes to providing affordable and efficient transport to orbit. According to reports, the country's space agency has completed its hundred-million-dollars worth of missions for a very small percentage of the expected total cost. Now, India's space agency is planning to launch next week the 22 satellites via a single rocket.

From the Sriharikota barrier of India's southeast coast, the rocket launch scheduled for June 20 will bring Indian, German, Canadian and American satellites into orbit. The 22 satellites will deliver atmospheric observation and broadcasting technology, to be added to the approximately 2,271 man-made satellites that are currently in Earth's orbit. Such figures are expected to increase in the next years, as space missions have become more affordable, and that scientific and digital needs grow. In 2014, the 208 satellites that were launched nearly doubled the figure from 2013, Economic Times reported.

India alone has 35 satellites that aid in conducting scientific studies and keep a stable cell phone connections on Earth. However, that number must be doubled, according to the country's space agency chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar.  He argued that India must develop and launch more satellites in order to keep up with other programs.

India's 22-satellite-packed rocket launch is seen as a significant milestone for the country, although it  is not an overall record, as NASA had launched 29 satellites via a single rocket in 2013. Russia, on the other hand, launched 33 in 2014.

Nevertheless, the space program of India has remained intent on competing with private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX with rocket reusability and less expensive missions. Based on reports, India's mission to Mars had cost them only $74 million, than the $671 million, which NASA spent on practically the similar task.

India launched and landed their very first reusable rocket in May in the Bay of Bengal. Though the country's mission last month was only a test mission in a full-scale design, it has put them among the few programs to successfully achieve a return and recovery, according to Reddit.