The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched the Remote Sensing Satellite, Resourcesat-2A on December 7, 2016 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
- A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C36, in its 38th flight, successfully launched the 1235 kg RESOURCESAT-2A Satellite from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, situated around 100km from Chennai, at 10.25am.
- Around eighteen minutes after lifting off from Sriharikota, PSLV-C36 placed the satellite in an 818km Polar Sun Synchonrous Orbit.
About RESOURCESAT-2A
RESOURCESAT-2A, intended for resource monitoring, is a follow on mission to RESOURCESAT-1 and RESOURCESAT-2, launched in 2003 and 2011 respectively. It is intended to continue the Remote Sensing Data Services to global users provided by RESOURCESAT-1 and 2.
- The satellite has three payloads which are similar to those of Resourcesat-1 and Resourcesat-2.
- The first payload is a high resolution Linear Imaging Self Scanner (LISS-4) camera operating in three spectral bands in the Visible And Near Infrared Region (VNIR) with a 5.8m spatial resolution.
- The second payload is the medium resolution LISS-3 camera operating in three-spectral bands in VNIR and one in Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) band with 23.5m spatial resolution.
- The third payload is a coarse resolution Advanced Wide Field Sensor camera operating in three spectral bands in VNIR and one band in SWIR with 56m spatial resolution.
- RESOURCESAT-2A also carries two Solid State Recorders with a capacity of 200 Giga Bits each to store the images taken by its cameras which can be later accessed by the ground stations.
- The spacecraft mass is around 1,200 kg with a Power Generation Capacity of 1,250 W.
- The mission life of RESOURCESAT-2A is five years. The satellite was earlier planned for launch on 28 November.
About PSLV
PSLV is the ISRO’s Versatile Launch Vehicle for launching multiple satellites in polar SSOs, Low Earth Orbits (LEO) as well as Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and sub GTO.
- The PSLV rocket is a four stage/engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuel alternatively.
- With 36 successful launches, PSLV has emerged as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO and is offered for launching satellites for international customers. RESOURCESAT-2A is the thirty seventh consecutively successful mission of PSLV.
- The total number of satellites launched by India’s workhorse launch vehicle PSLV including RESOURCESAT-2A has now reached 122 of which 79 satellites are from abroad and 42 are Indian satellites.
About ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of Republic of India.
- Its vision is to “harness space technology for national development“, while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.
- ISRO built India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975.
- ISRO subsequently developed two rockets: the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for launching satellites into polar orbits and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle(GSLV) for placing satellites into geostationary orbits.
- ISRO is the fourth space agency in the world as well as the first space agency in Asia to successfully reach Mars orbit.
Key Points :
- Established: 15 August 1969
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Primary Space Port: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh
- Motto: Space technology in the Service of humankind
- Chairman: A. S. Kiran Kumar
