The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French space agency (CNES) have signed a memorandum of understanding for the joint design of an atmospheric research satellite mission called Megha Tropiques.
The satellite, based on the CNES Proteus spacecraft bus, will be launched in 2005 to help measure the water cycle in the tropical atmosphere and climate dynamics.
It will be equipped with Madras, a multi-frequency scanning radiometer developed jointly by CNES and ISRO; a CNES Saphir multi-channel microwave instrument; and Scarab, also from CNES, a unit which will measure the Earth's radiation budget.
Source: Flight International