ISRO set to launch GISAT-1 geo imaging satellite on Aug 12; To give real-time border image

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully resumed its launch activity at Sriharikota spaceport with the planned orbiting of geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 rocker on August 12. It is going to be only the second launch of the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency in the COVID-19-hit 2021.

"We have tentatively planned the GSLV-F10 launch on August 12, at 05:43 am, subject to weather conditions," an ISRO official told news agencies on July 10.

On February 28, ISRO had successfully launched PSLC-C51 mission with Brazil's earth observation satellite Amazonia-1 and 18 co-passengers, including some built by students on board itself.

ISRO set to launch GISAT-1

The 2,268-kg GISAT-1 was originally slated to be launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district, about 100 km north of Chennai, on March 5, 2020, the launch was postponed a day before the blast-off due to technical glitches. Subsequently, the launch was further delayed owing to the COVID-19-induced shutdown nationwide which affected the course of normal working. 

Scheduled for March 28 this year, GISAT-1 was delayed again due to a "minor issue" with the satellite, ISRO stated. The launch was later expected in April and then in May but the campaign could not commence as the COVID-19 crisis was triggered by an enraged second wave.

What will ISRO's GISAT-1 do?

According to ISRO, GISAT-1 will provide near real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals. It will be placed in an orbit by GSLV_F10 and subsequently be postponed in the final geostationary orbit about 36,000 km above the earth's equator.

The earth 'observation' satellite will provide the country with real-time images of its borders and also enable quick monitoring of natural calamities or disasters, episodic and any short-term events. Experts have remarked on the positioning of the satellite, they said the observation satellite in geostationary orbit has key advantages. Earlier ISRO had said the satellite would provide near real-time imaging of the large area region of interest at frequent intervals. The third objective is to obtain spectral images of agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow and glacier and oceanography.

A Department of Space official said, " It's going to be a game-changer in some sense for India. With onboard high-resolution cameras, the satellite will allow the country to monitor the Indian landmass and the oceans, particularly its borders, continuously."