The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will soon be resuming its launch activities at Sriharikota spaceport. The space agency has plans to launch a geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 rocket on August 12.
It will be only the second launch by ISRO in 2021, due to unavoidable circumstances caused by COVID-19. The space agency successfully launched the PSLV-C51 mission on February 28 collaborating with Brazil’s Earth observation satellite Amazonia-1 and 18 small satellites with some built by students.
The pandemic caused several delays
The 2,268-kg GISAT-1 was earlier planned to take flight on March 5 last year from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district; however, it was postponed a day before the launch due to a technical glitch. Later the launch was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced country-wide lockdown.
Then it was slated for March 28 this year, but yet again it ran into a “minor issue” forcing another delay. The launch was again delayed during the second wave of the virus in India that forced lockdowns in many states.
“We have tentatively planned the GSLV-F10 launch on August 12, at 05.43 am, subject to weather conditions”, an ISRO official told PTI.
As per the Indian Space Research Organization, GISAT-1 will provide real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent from time to time. The satellite will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by GSLV-F10 and will be positioned in the final geostationary orbit with the help of a propulsion system placed on board.
Helping monitor natural disasters
The Earth observation satellite will beam back real-time images of the borders and allow quick monitoring of natural calamities. Experts believe positioning the satellite in geostationary orbit has many advantages.
“It’s going to be a game-changer in some sense for India,” a Department of Space official said. “With onboard high resolution cameras, the satellite will allow the country to monitor the Indian land mass and the oceans, particularly its borders, continuously,” the official said.
Another objective of the Earth observation satellite is to extract signatures of agriculture, forestry, disaster warning, mineralogy, oceanography, among others.
