All set for Cartosat-3 satellite launch today

Sriharikota: More than two months after the launch of Chandrayaan-2, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has returned to the launch pad for its next mission –Cartosat-3 - which will take off early on Wednesday.

The satellite would lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, aboard PSLV-C47at 9:28 am on Wednesday.

According to ISRO, the Cartosat-3 is an advanced agile satellite to obtain panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of five years.

The payload has the capability of take sharp pictures with a ground resolution of 0.25 metre in Panchromatic and 1metre ground resolution or ground sample distance (GSD) in 4 Band Multispectral modes with a swath of 16 km, said ISRO.

The Indian space agency also said, Cartosat-3 has many new technologies/elements like highly agile structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics, dual gimbal antenna and others.

To be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees, the Cartosat-3 will furnish images that cater to the demand of urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover and also for strategic/defence purposes.

The Indian space agency officials used to say that they would supply the required images for various agencies. It is for the user agency to decide on the image use.

Sharing the ride with Cartosat-3 will be 13 nano satellites from the USA for an undisclosed fee to be paid to NewSpace India Ltd -- the new commercial arm of ISRO.

About 17 minutes into its flight, the PSLV rocket will first sling into orbit Cartosat-3. At about a minute later, the first of the 13 US nano satellites will be put into orbit.

The final nano satellite will be ejected into its intended orbit at 26 minutes and 50 seconds from the lift-off of the PSLV rocket.

The 44-metre-tall, about 320 ton PSLV-XL is a four stage/engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively.

The rocket has six strap-on booster motors to give additional thrust during the initial flight stages.

However, what is intriguing is the first commercial order to put into orbit 13 American nanosatellites for NewSpace India which was formed only in March 2019 with its business plan identical to that of Antrix Corporation, the first commercial arm of ISRO.