U.K. Satellite

The satellite, weighing 6.5 kg (14 lb.), is a British mission jointly developed by the University of Surrey’s Surrey Space Center and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL). The phone will run several applications, collect data and photograph the Earth with its camera. Once all the satellite’s own operating systems have been checked out, key system functions will be transferred to the phone’s components to take control and operate the satellite, SSTL says.

The mission takes ISRO’s tally of foreign satellites launched to 35. ISRO started putting into space third-party satellites for a fee in 1999 on its PSLV-C2 rocket.

ISRO has lined up 58 missions for its 12th five-year plan (2012-17), comprising 25 launch vehicles and 33 satellites.

On Sept. 9, ISRO launched its 100th space mission on board the PSLV-C21, putting two foreign satellites into orbit. It hopes to launch a much-awaited orbiter mission to Mars later this year