Jacques van Oene
May 2nd 05, 09:47 AM
Launch of CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT by PSLV-6
on thursday May 5, 2005
May 1, 2005
In its ninth flight, ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C6, will
launch India's remote sensing satellite, the 1,560 kg CARTOSAT-1, along with
a 42.5 kg piggyback satellite, HAMSAT, in a 618 km polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit (SSO). For the first time, the state-of-the-art Second Launch Pad at
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR is being used for a launch.
About PSLV
PSLV was initially designed by ISRO to place 1,000 kg class Indian Remote
Sensing (IRS) satellites into 900 km polar Sun-synchronous Orbits. Since the
first successful flight in October 1994, the capability of PSLV has been
enhanced from 850 kg to the present 1,600 kg into 618 km polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit. The improvement in the capability over successive flights
has been achieved through several means. They include increased propellant
loading in the stage motors, employing composite material for the satellite
mounting structure and changing the sequence of firing of the strap-on
motors.
In its present configuration, the 44.4 metre tall, 295 tonne PSLV has four
stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The first
stage, carrying 138 tonne of propellant, is one of the largest solid
propellant boosters in the world. Six solid propellant strap-on motors, each
carrying nine tonne of solid propellant, are strapped on to the core stage.
The second stage carries 41.5 tonne of liquid propellant. The third stage
uses 7.6 tonne of solid propellant and the fourth has a twin engine
configuration with 2.5 tonne of liquid propellant.
The 3.2 metre diameter metallic bulbous heat shield protects the satellites
and it is discarded after the vehicle has cleared the dense atmosphere. PSLV
employs a large number of auxiliary systems for stage separation,
heat-shield separation and so on. It has sophisticated systems to control
the vehicle and guide it through the predetermined trajectory. The vehicle
performance is monitored through telemetry and tracking.
With seven consecutively successful flights so far, PSLV has proved itself
as a reliable workhorse. It has demonstrated multiple satellite launch
capability having launched four small satellites for international customers
besides seven Indian satellites. PSLV was used to launch ISRO's exclusive
meteorological satellite, KALPANA-1, into a Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit
(GTO) in September 2002. The vehicle will be used to launch a spacecraft for
India's first mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-1.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, designed and
developed PSLV. The ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) at Thiruvananthapuram
developed the inertial systems for the vehicle. The Liquid Propulsion
Systems Centre (LPSC), also at Thiruvananthapuram, developed the liquid
propulsion stages for the second and fourth stages of PSLV as well as
reaction control systems. SDSC SHAR processed the solid motors and carried
out launch operations. ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC)
provides telemetry, tracking and command support.
Second Launch Pad (SLP)
SLP built at SDSC SHAR at Sriharikota is a state-of-the-art launch complex.
SLP is configured as a universal launch pad capable of accommodating all the
vehicles of ISRO including the advanced launch vehicle to be built in the
next decade and beyond (unlike dedicated pads elsewhere in the world mainly
catering to a particular launch vehicle).
SLP uses integrate-transfer-and-launch concept. The launch vehicle is
integrated inside a permanent building called Vehicle Assembly Building
(VAB). After checkout, it is transported on rails to the launch pad using a
Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP). The vehicle is then interfaced with the launch
pedestal and fuel-filling and checkout operations carried out. The launch
takes place after the final countdown. SLP helps to increase the launch
frequency by reducing the turn-around time between the integration of the
fully assembled vehicles.
SLP was built by involving Indian industry on a turnkey basis including
design and engineering, procurement of systems and sub-systems, fabrication,
erection and commissioning of facilities including civil works.
SLP consists of the following major elements:
Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB): It is in this building that the vehicle
integration is carried out on a Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP) and then the
vehicle transferred to Umbilical Tower for launch after carrying out the
total checkout of the integrated vehicle. The 82 m tall VAB houses 200 tonne
and 30 tonne capacity cranes for lifting vehicle stages. It has 20
horizontal sliding doors of varying sizes with the largest being 13 x 20 m.
Six 14 x 6 m foldable and vertically repositionable platforms at different
levels help vehicle integration and servicing. VAB is equipped with an
elevator also.
Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP): The 19.5 x 19.5 m MLP with bogie system is
used to transfer the integrated vehicle from VAB to the launch pad located
at a distance of 1 km. With a height 8.6 m, MLP weighs about 700 tonne and
caters for both PSLV and GSLV requirements. It has a removable bogie system
at the bottom, which has a hydraulic system.
Umbilical Tower (UT): The 70 m tall, 10 x 10 m UT weighs about 980 tonne.
The fully integrated vehicle on MLP, on its arrival on rails, is interfaced
with the UT with electrical, pneumatic and fluid filling lines. The final
operations like fuel filling, gas charging and the vehicle checkout are
carried out on UT. It has three platforms, which can be swung and also moved
vertically to different levels. UT has an elevator and a 10 tonne tower
crane at the top of the tower. It has a cryo arm for cryogenic fuel filling
operations and monitoring till the last minute of launch operations.
Jet Deflector: The jet deflector system is used to move the hot gases,
ejected from the launcher during lift-off, away from the launch pad so as to
reduce the thermal and acoustic loads on the vehicle. The design and
construction of jet deflector was one of the major engineering challenges.
It has diaphragm wall construction with piles driven 45 m below ground,
constructed for the first time on the east coast of India.
Lightning Protection Towers: In order to protect the launch vehicle from
severe lightning when the vehicle is exposed for longer duration, lightning
protection towers are erected around UT. There are four lightening
protection towers of 120 m height around UT, which are interconnected
through cables.
Propellant Storage and Servicing Facilities: Propellant storage and
servicing facilities cater to storage of about 1000 tonne of earth storable
propellants (UDMH and N2O4), cryogenic propellants (liquid Oxygen and liquid
Hydrogen), water, etc. A large gas storage and supply system to supply the
required quantity of Helium for on-board systems and Nitrogen system for
meeting the purging requirements is part of this facility. A water tank of 5
lakh litre capacity is also included.
Utilities: These include instrumentation and control systems, compressed air
and fire fighting system, overhead tank, water treatment plant, electrical
substation, air conditioning plant and safety system.
Track for Movement of MLP: MLP with the integrated vehicle moves on a twin
double rail track with a span of 14 m and a length of 1 km.
About CARTOSAT-1
CARTOSAT-1 is the eleventh satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing satellite
series. It is a state-of-the art remote sensing satellite built by ISRO.
Weighing 1560 kg at lift-off, CARTOSAT-1 is intended for cartographic
applications. The satellite will be launched into a 618 km high polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit.
CARTOSAT-1 carries two state-of-the-art Panchromatic cameras that take
black-and-white stereoscopic pictures in the visible region of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The imageries will have a spatial resolution of
2.5 metre. The cameras cover a swath of 30 km and they are mounted in such a
way that near simultaneous imaging of the same area from two different
angles is possible. This facilitates in generating three-dimensional maps.
The cameras are steerable across the direction of satellite's movement to
facilitate the imaging of an area more frequently. CARTOSAT-1 also carries a
Solid State Recorder with a capacity of 120 Giga Bits to store the images
taken by its cameras. These images can later be transmitted when the
satellite comes within the visibility of a ground station.
Soon after its injection into orbit, the two solar panels of CARTOSAT-1 are
deployed. The satellite health will be continuously monitored from the
Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with the help of ISTRAC network of
stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius, Bearslake in Russia and Biak in
Indonesia.
Salient Features
Orbit : Circular Polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit height : 618 km
Orbit inclination : 98.87 deg
Orbit period : 97 min
Number of Orbits per day : 14
Local Time of Equator Crossing: 10.30 AM
Repetivity : 126 days
Revisit : 5 days
Lift-off Mass : 1560 kg
Attitude and Orbit Control : 3-axis stabilised using Reaction Wheels,
Magnetic Torquers and Hydrazine Thrusters
Electrical Power : 1100 W using 5 sq m Solar Array Two 24 Ah Ni-Cd batteries
Mission Life : 5 years
Payloads : Two PAN Cameras one fore-mounted with a tilt of +26 deg and the
other Aft-mounted with a tilt of -5 deg from the yaw axis
Camera Specifications:
Instantaneous Geometric : < 2.5 m Field of View (IGFOV)
Swath : 30 km
Spectral Band : 0.50-0.85 micron
Data rate : 105 Mbps for each camera
Solid State Recorder: 120 GB capacity for image data storage
CARTOSAT-1 Applications
Once commissioned, CARTOSAT-1 will give further fillip to remote sensing
services by providing imagery with improved spatial resolution. The unique
high-resolution along-track stereo imaging capability, carried out for the
first time anywhere in the world, will enable generation of the Digital
Elevation Models (DEM) and other value added products. The data from
CARTOSAT-1 is expected to provide enhanced inputs for large scale mapping
applications and stimulate newer applications in the urban and rural
development, land and water resources management, disaster assessment,
relief planning and management, environment impact assessment and various
other GIS applications. The data can be used for updating topographic maps,
besides generation of large-scale topographic maps.
Indian Remote Sensing Satellite System
India has established the National Natural Resources Management System
(NNRMS) for which the Department of Space (DOS) is the nodal agency. NNRMS
is an integrated resource management system aimed at optimal utilisation of
the country's natural resources by a proper and systematic inventory of
resource availability using remote sensing data in conjunction with
conventional techniques. The major elements of NNRMS encompass
conceptualisation and implementation of space segments with the necessary
ground-based data reception, processing and interpretation systems and
integrating the satellite-based remotely sensed data with conventional data
for resource management applications.
The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites form an important element of the
NNRMS for providing continuous remote sensing data services for the
management of natural resources of the country. A series of IRS satellites
have been launched by India starting with IRS-1A in March 1988. There are
six remote sensing satellites in service at present --- IRS-1C, IRS-P3,
IRS-1D, OCEANSAT-1, TES and RESOURCESAT-1 -- making IRS system the largest
civilian remote sensing satellite constellation in the world. CARTOSAT-1 is
the latest satellite under the IRS programme.
CARTOSAT-1 will be followed by CARTOSAT-2, which will have a spatial
resolution of about one metre. A Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT), carrying a
C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with a spatial resolution of 3 to 50 m
and a swath of 10 km to 240 km is under development. With all weather remote
sensing capability, RISAT will enhance remote sensing applications in the
areas of agriculture and disaster management. RISAT is slated for launch by
2006.
The data from IRS is utilised for several applications. They include
landuse/cover mapping for agro-climatic zones planning, wasteland mapping,
forest cover mapping, wetland mapping, Crop Acreage and Production
Estimation, National River Action Plan for Sewerage Treatment Plants,
Coastal Zone Regulation mapping, Integrated Mission for Sustainable
Development, National (Natural) Resources Information System, etc. In
addition, different application studies of local/regional level are also
being carried out by many organisations. With high-resolution imageries of
CARTOSAT-1, cadastral level applications will receive further impetus.
With ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore, as the lead Centre, CARTOSAT-1
was realised with major contributions from Space Applications Centre (SAC),
Ahmedabad, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Bangalore, and ISRO
Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram. ISTRAC is responsible for
initial and in-orbit operation of CARTOSAT-1. The National Remote Sensing
Agency, under the DOS receives, processes and distributes the data from IRS
satellites to various users. The imagery from IRS satellites are
disseminated worldwide on a commercial basis through Antrix Corporation of
DOS.
HAMSAT
HAMSAT is a Microsatellite for providing satellite based Amateur Radio
services to the national as well as the international community of Amateur
Radio Operators (HAMs). Launched as an auxiliary satellite along with
CARTOSAT-1, the 42.5 kg HAMSAT will meet the long felt need of the Amateur
Radio Operators in the South Asian region who possess the required equipment
and operate in the UHF/VHF band based Satellite Radio Communication. One of
the transponders of HAMSAT has been developed indigenously involving Indian
Amateurs, with the expertise of ISRO and the experience of AMSAT-INDIA. The
second transponder has been developed by a Dutch Amateur Radio Operator and
Graduate Engineering student at Higher Technical Institute, Venlo, The
Netherlands.
HAMSAT is India's contribution to the international community of Amateur
Radio Operators. This effort is also meant to bring ISRO's satellite
services within the reach of the common man and popularise Space Technology
among the masses. This Satellite will play a valuable role in the national
and international scenario by providing a low cost readily accessible
reliable means of communication during emergencies and calamities like
flood, earthquakes, etc. Besides, it will stimulate technical interest and
awareness among the younger generation by providing them with an opportunity
to develop their technological projects including offering a platform for
testing New Technologies. Some of the new technologies being incorporated in
the HAMSAT include Integrated Processor based Electronic Bus Management
Unit, Lithium Ion Battery and Gallium Arsenide based Solar Panels.
Salient Features:
Physical : 630 mm x 630 mm x 550 mm Cuboid
Mass : 42.5 kg
Orbit : 618 km Near Circular Polar Low Earth Orbit
Structure : Aluminium Honeycomb Structure
Power : Body mounted Gallium Arsenide Solar Panels Lithium Ion Battery
Stabilisation : 4±0.5 RPM Spin stabilised
Antennas : UHF turnstile, VHF turnstile
Transponder Uplink : 435.25 MHz
Transponder Downlink: 145.9 MHz
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
on thursday May 5, 2005
May 1, 2005
In its ninth flight, ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C6, will
launch India's remote sensing satellite, the 1,560 kg CARTOSAT-1, along with
a 42.5 kg piggyback satellite, HAMSAT, in a 618 km polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit (SSO). For the first time, the state-of-the-art Second Launch Pad at
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR is being used for a launch.
About PSLV
PSLV was initially designed by ISRO to place 1,000 kg class Indian Remote
Sensing (IRS) satellites into 900 km polar Sun-synchronous Orbits. Since the
first successful flight in October 1994, the capability of PSLV has been
enhanced from 850 kg to the present 1,600 kg into 618 km polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit. The improvement in the capability over successive flights
has been achieved through several means. They include increased propellant
loading in the stage motors, employing composite material for the satellite
mounting structure and changing the sequence of firing of the strap-on
motors.
In its present configuration, the 44.4 metre tall, 295 tonne PSLV has four
stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The first
stage, carrying 138 tonne of propellant, is one of the largest solid
propellant boosters in the world. Six solid propellant strap-on motors, each
carrying nine tonne of solid propellant, are strapped on to the core stage.
The second stage carries 41.5 tonne of liquid propellant. The third stage
uses 7.6 tonne of solid propellant and the fourth has a twin engine
configuration with 2.5 tonne of liquid propellant.
The 3.2 metre diameter metallic bulbous heat shield protects the satellites
and it is discarded after the vehicle has cleared the dense atmosphere. PSLV
employs a large number of auxiliary systems for stage separation,
heat-shield separation and so on. It has sophisticated systems to control
the vehicle and guide it through the predetermined trajectory. The vehicle
performance is monitored through telemetry and tracking.
With seven consecutively successful flights so far, PSLV has proved itself
as a reliable workhorse. It has demonstrated multiple satellite launch
capability having launched four small satellites for international customers
besides seven Indian satellites. PSLV was used to launch ISRO's exclusive
meteorological satellite, KALPANA-1, into a Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit
(GTO) in September 2002. The vehicle will be used to launch a spacecraft for
India's first mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-1.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, designed and
developed PSLV. The ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) at Thiruvananthapuram
developed the inertial systems for the vehicle. The Liquid Propulsion
Systems Centre (LPSC), also at Thiruvananthapuram, developed the liquid
propulsion stages for the second and fourth stages of PSLV as well as
reaction control systems. SDSC SHAR processed the solid motors and carried
out launch operations. ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC)
provides telemetry, tracking and command support.
Second Launch Pad (SLP)
SLP built at SDSC SHAR at Sriharikota is a state-of-the-art launch complex.
SLP is configured as a universal launch pad capable of accommodating all the
vehicles of ISRO including the advanced launch vehicle to be built in the
next decade and beyond (unlike dedicated pads elsewhere in the world mainly
catering to a particular launch vehicle).
SLP uses integrate-transfer-and-launch concept. The launch vehicle is
integrated inside a permanent building called Vehicle Assembly Building
(VAB). After checkout, it is transported on rails to the launch pad using a
Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP). The vehicle is then interfaced with the launch
pedestal and fuel-filling and checkout operations carried out. The launch
takes place after the final countdown. SLP helps to increase the launch
frequency by reducing the turn-around time between the integration of the
fully assembled vehicles.
SLP was built by involving Indian industry on a turnkey basis including
design and engineering, procurement of systems and sub-systems, fabrication,
erection and commissioning of facilities including civil works.
SLP consists of the following major elements:
Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB): It is in this building that the vehicle
integration is carried out on a Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP) and then the
vehicle transferred to Umbilical Tower for launch after carrying out the
total checkout of the integrated vehicle. The 82 m tall VAB houses 200 tonne
and 30 tonne capacity cranes for lifting vehicle stages. It has 20
horizontal sliding doors of varying sizes with the largest being 13 x 20 m.
Six 14 x 6 m foldable and vertically repositionable platforms at different
levels help vehicle integration and servicing. VAB is equipped with an
elevator also.
Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP): The 19.5 x 19.5 m MLP with bogie system is
used to transfer the integrated vehicle from VAB to the launch pad located
at a distance of 1 km. With a height 8.6 m, MLP weighs about 700 tonne and
caters for both PSLV and GSLV requirements. It has a removable bogie system
at the bottom, which has a hydraulic system.
Umbilical Tower (UT): The 70 m tall, 10 x 10 m UT weighs about 980 tonne.
The fully integrated vehicle on MLP, on its arrival on rails, is interfaced
with the UT with electrical, pneumatic and fluid filling lines. The final
operations like fuel filling, gas charging and the vehicle checkout are
carried out on UT. It has three platforms, which can be swung and also moved
vertically to different levels. UT has an elevator and a 10 tonne tower
crane at the top of the tower. It has a cryo arm for cryogenic fuel filling
operations and monitoring till the last minute of launch operations.
Jet Deflector: The jet deflector system is used to move the hot gases,
ejected from the launcher during lift-off, away from the launch pad so as to
reduce the thermal and acoustic loads on the vehicle. The design and
construction of jet deflector was one of the major engineering challenges.
It has diaphragm wall construction with piles driven 45 m below ground,
constructed for the first time on the east coast of India.
Lightning Protection Towers: In order to protect the launch vehicle from
severe lightning when the vehicle is exposed for longer duration, lightning
protection towers are erected around UT. There are four lightening
protection towers of 120 m height around UT, which are interconnected
through cables.
Propellant Storage and Servicing Facilities: Propellant storage and
servicing facilities cater to storage of about 1000 tonne of earth storable
propellants (UDMH and N2O4), cryogenic propellants (liquid Oxygen and liquid
Hydrogen), water, etc. A large gas storage and supply system to supply the
required quantity of Helium for on-board systems and Nitrogen system for
meeting the purging requirements is part of this facility. A water tank of 5
lakh litre capacity is also included.
Utilities: These include instrumentation and control systems, compressed air
and fire fighting system, overhead tank, water treatment plant, electrical
substation, air conditioning plant and safety system.
Track for Movement of MLP: MLP with the integrated vehicle moves on a twin
double rail track with a span of 14 m and a length of 1 km.
About CARTOSAT-1
CARTOSAT-1 is the eleventh satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing satellite
series. It is a state-of-the art remote sensing satellite built by ISRO.
Weighing 1560 kg at lift-off, CARTOSAT-1 is intended for cartographic
applications. The satellite will be launched into a 618 km high polar Sun
Synchronous Orbit.
CARTOSAT-1 carries two state-of-the-art Panchromatic cameras that take
black-and-white stereoscopic pictures in the visible region of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The imageries will have a spatial resolution of
2.5 metre. The cameras cover a swath of 30 km and they are mounted in such a
way that near simultaneous imaging of the same area from two different
angles is possible. This facilitates in generating three-dimensional maps.
The cameras are steerable across the direction of satellite's movement to
facilitate the imaging of an area more frequently. CARTOSAT-1 also carries a
Solid State Recorder with a capacity of 120 Giga Bits to store the images
taken by its cameras. These images can later be transmitted when the
satellite comes within the visibility of a ground station.
Soon after its injection into orbit, the two solar panels of CARTOSAT-1 are
deployed. The satellite health will be continuously monitored from the
Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with the help of ISTRAC network of
stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius, Bearslake in Russia and Biak in
Indonesia.
Salient Features
Orbit : Circular Polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit height : 618 km
Orbit inclination : 98.87 deg
Orbit period : 97 min
Number of Orbits per day : 14
Local Time of Equator Crossing: 10.30 AM
Repetivity : 126 days
Revisit : 5 days
Lift-off Mass : 1560 kg
Attitude and Orbit Control : 3-axis stabilised using Reaction Wheels,
Magnetic Torquers and Hydrazine Thrusters
Electrical Power : 1100 W using 5 sq m Solar Array Two 24 Ah Ni-Cd batteries
Mission Life : 5 years
Payloads : Two PAN Cameras one fore-mounted with a tilt of +26 deg and the
other Aft-mounted with a tilt of -5 deg from the yaw axis
Camera Specifications:
Instantaneous Geometric : < 2.5 m Field of View (IGFOV)
Swath : 30 km
Spectral Band : 0.50-0.85 micron
Data rate : 105 Mbps for each camera
Solid State Recorder: 120 GB capacity for image data storage
CARTOSAT-1 Applications
Once commissioned, CARTOSAT-1 will give further fillip to remote sensing
services by providing imagery with improved spatial resolution. The unique
high-resolution along-track stereo imaging capability, carried out for the
first time anywhere in the world, will enable generation of the Digital
Elevation Models (DEM) and other value added products. The data from
CARTOSAT-1 is expected to provide enhanced inputs for large scale mapping
applications and stimulate newer applications in the urban and rural
development, land and water resources management, disaster assessment,
relief planning and management, environment impact assessment and various
other GIS applications. The data can be used for updating topographic maps,
besides generation of large-scale topographic maps.
Indian Remote Sensing Satellite System
India has established the National Natural Resources Management System
(NNRMS) for which the Department of Space (DOS) is the nodal agency. NNRMS
is an integrated resource management system aimed at optimal utilisation of
the country's natural resources by a proper and systematic inventory of
resource availability using remote sensing data in conjunction with
conventional techniques. The major elements of NNRMS encompass
conceptualisation and implementation of space segments with the necessary
ground-based data reception, processing and interpretation systems and
integrating the satellite-based remotely sensed data with conventional data
for resource management applications.
The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites form an important element of the
NNRMS for providing continuous remote sensing data services for the
management of natural resources of the country. A series of IRS satellites
have been launched by India starting with IRS-1A in March 1988. There are
six remote sensing satellites in service at present --- IRS-1C, IRS-P3,
IRS-1D, OCEANSAT-1, TES and RESOURCESAT-1 -- making IRS system the largest
civilian remote sensing satellite constellation in the world. CARTOSAT-1 is
the latest satellite under the IRS programme.
CARTOSAT-1 will be followed by CARTOSAT-2, which will have a spatial
resolution of about one metre. A Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT), carrying a
C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with a spatial resolution of 3 to 50 m
and a swath of 10 km to 240 km is under development. With all weather remote
sensing capability, RISAT will enhance remote sensing applications in the
areas of agriculture and disaster management. RISAT is slated for launch by
2006.
The data from IRS is utilised for several applications. They include
landuse/cover mapping for agro-climatic zones planning, wasteland mapping,
forest cover mapping, wetland mapping, Crop Acreage and Production
Estimation, National River Action Plan for Sewerage Treatment Plants,
Coastal Zone Regulation mapping, Integrated Mission for Sustainable
Development, National (Natural) Resources Information System, etc. In
addition, different application studies of local/regional level are also
being carried out by many organisations. With high-resolution imageries of
CARTOSAT-1, cadastral level applications will receive further impetus.
With ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore, as the lead Centre, CARTOSAT-1
was realised with major contributions from Space Applications Centre (SAC),
Ahmedabad, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Bangalore, and ISRO
Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram. ISTRAC is responsible for
initial and in-orbit operation of CARTOSAT-1. The National Remote Sensing
Agency, under the DOS receives, processes and distributes the data from IRS
satellites to various users. The imagery from IRS satellites are
disseminated worldwide on a commercial basis through Antrix Corporation of
DOS.
HAMSAT
HAMSAT is a Microsatellite for providing satellite based Amateur Radio
services to the national as well as the international community of Amateur
Radio Operators (HAMs). Launched as an auxiliary satellite along with
CARTOSAT-1, the 42.5 kg HAMSAT will meet the long felt need of the Amateur
Radio Operators in the South Asian region who possess the required equipment
and operate in the UHF/VHF band based Satellite Radio Communication. One of
the transponders of HAMSAT has been developed indigenously involving Indian
Amateurs, with the expertise of ISRO and the experience of AMSAT-INDIA. The
second transponder has been developed by a Dutch Amateur Radio Operator and
Graduate Engineering student at Higher Technical Institute, Venlo, The
Netherlands.
HAMSAT is India's contribution to the international community of Amateur
Radio Operators. This effort is also meant to bring ISRO's satellite
services within the reach of the common man and popularise Space Technology
among the masses. This Satellite will play a valuable role in the national
and international scenario by providing a low cost readily accessible
reliable means of communication during emergencies and calamities like
flood, earthquakes, etc. Besides, it will stimulate technical interest and
awareness among the younger generation by providing them with an opportunity
to develop their technological projects including offering a platform for
testing New Technologies. Some of the new technologies being incorporated in
the HAMSAT include Integrated Processor based Electronic Bus Management
Unit, Lithium Ion Battery and Gallium Arsenide based Solar Panels.
Salient Features:
Physical : 630 mm x 630 mm x 550 mm Cuboid
Mass : 42.5 kg
Orbit : 618 km Near Circular Polar Low Earth Orbit
Structure : Aluminium Honeycomb Structure
Power : Body mounted Gallium Arsenide Solar Panels Lithium Ion Battery
Stabilisation : 4±0.5 RPM Spin stabilised
Antennas : UHF turnstile, VHF turnstile
Transponder Uplink : 435.25 MHz
Transponder Downlink: 145.9 MHz
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info