- The Radar Imaging Satellite was ISRO’s first launch mission this year and it was held under the New Chairperson, S Somanath.
- The satellite will play a massive role in the nation’s defense as it has a high capacity to operate during the day and night.
- The next launch of the four-tonne communication satellite GSAT-24 is also scheduled with the help of the Ariane 5 rocket owned by Arianespace.
The ISRO on Monday morning successfully places the EOS Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04 into the intended orbit with the help of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV – C52 along with the two smaller co-passenger satellites. This launch was the first launch of the ISRO after the mission of 2022, the 25 hours countdown for that started yesterday.
The news released on Twitter that, “PSLV-C52 and EOS-04 missions countdown processes of 25 hours and 30 minutes foremost to the launch has started at 04:29 hours today.” The vehicle of launch is designed to orbit an earth observation that weighs 1,710 kg into a sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km.
What is the purpose of EOS Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04 and the other two satellites?
EOS-04 is formally known as RISAT-1A, Radar Imaging Satellite which is designed and manufactured to provide the best qualitative images under all-weather conditions. It has 10 years of mission life. Also, it is the replica of Risat-1 that was launched in 2012 and is configured to ensure continuity of SAR in C-Band that provides the microwave data to the user community for operational services.
This satellite will cover applications such as agriculture, forestry, plantations, soil moisture as well as hydrology. It will provide qualitative images day also and at the night also. The primary motto of this satellite is to monitor and protect our environment, manage our resources, respond to global humanitarian disasters and enable sustainable development.
NSPIREsat-1 Satellite
Also, the other two smaller co-passenger satellites contain the student satellite that is NSPIREsat-1 from the Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). It is associated with the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics and its also contributed by the NTU and NCU.
The motto of this satellite is to assess the land and water surface temperatures, delineation of crops and forests, and thermal inertia. There are 2 scientific payloads are work in this satellite that help to improve the understanding of ionosphere dynamics and the sun’s coronal heating processes.
INS-2TD Satellite
The INS-2TD satellite is the technology demonstrator satellite from ISRO. This satellite is a precursor to India to Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B) carries a thermal imaging camera to assess land or water surface, the temperature of wetlands or lakes, delineation of crops the day’s thermal inertia.
What is the Earth Observation (EO)?
The Earth Observation (EO) is intended to use or is manufactured for the Earth Observation from the orbits of space. This observation includes the spy satellites and those are specially used for non-military uses like environmental monitoring and observations, meteorology, cartography, and others.
What is an Earth Observation Satellite?
The Earth remote sensing satellite is another name for an Earth observation spacecraft. Satellites, as the name implies, observe the planet Earth from space. Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite launched into Earth’s orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957, was the first EOS or remote sensing satellite.
It is used to examine the ionosphere, the topmost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. In January 1958, the first American satellite, Explorer 1, was launched into space. Unfortunately, most EOS operate at 500 to 600 kilometers from the Earth’s surface. Their orbits might have reset regularly because of the significant air drag they suffer at such a low altitude.
Various applications of Earth Observation Satellites (EOS)
Earth Observation Satellites are put in polar orbits to obtain a complete view of the Earth, where the Indian satellite will be placed. While the science behind this is complex, the satellites are situated at a spot where the relative motion of the satellite and the Earth’s movement around its polar axis may provide a view of the whole world.
To attain an orbital period of 24 hours, equal to one day on Earth, Earth Observation Satellites must be positioned in a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.
What is the purpose of the Indian Earth Observation Satellites?
Notably, the earth observation satellite, or Earth Observation Satellites -04, is a radar imaging satellite designed to deliver high-quality photographs in all-weather situations in various industries. Meanwhile, the satellite’s two additional scientific payloads will better understand ionosphere dynamics and the sun’s coronal heating processes.
What is about the Satellite GSAT-24
The Public sector New Space India Ltd (NSIL) has already decided and scheduled to launch the communication satellite four-tonne GSAT-24 with the help of the Ariane-5 rocket belonging to European aerospace agency Arianespace. It is the fully funded satellite by the NSIL which is expected to be launched during the first quarter of 2022.
The whole satellite capacity onboard GSAT-24 will be leased to Tata Sky in order to suit their DTH application needs. NSIL will own and function the communication satellite four-tonne GSAT-24 on a commercial basis.
