Cartosat-1 will provide 2.5m-resolution, three-dimensional images to sell worldwide
India's mapping satellite Cartosat-1, launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on 5 May, is expected to open up new data marketing opportunities for Antrix, the Bangalore-based commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The 2.5m (8ft) -resolution, three-dimensional images Cartosat-1 will provide have no current equivalent, says K R Sreedhara Murthy, executive director of Antrix. The Cartosat-1 data is expected to generate strong demand, and Antrix has linked with Space Imaging of USA to sell the satellite images to customers worldwide.
The 1,560kg (3,440lb) Cartosat-1, along with 43kg piggyback satellite Hamsat, was launched on the ninth flight of India's PSLV, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) on Sriharikota island. The mission was the first from the newly constructed second launch pad at SDSC, and was the first dual-satellite launch of the PSLV as well as the heaviest payload to be placed into orbit by the four-stage launcher.
Data from Cartosat-1 is expected to provide enhanced inputs for large-scale mapping applications and to stimulate applications in urban planning and rural development, as well as helping with land and water resources management, environmental impact assessment and geographical information systems applications.
ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair says the two panchromatic cameras on board Cartosat-1 will provide stereo-pair images for the generation of digital terrain models, providing a new capability for mapping the country. The satellite has been placed into a 617km (380-mile) Sun-synchronous polar orbit, giving it a five-day revisit capability.
Hamsat, meanwhile, is designed to meet the needs of amateur radio operators in the south Asia region, and is considered ISRO's first theme-based microsatellite. The spacecraft is expected to play a key role in providing low-cost access to reliable means of communications during emergencies and disasters.
Hamsat carries two Linear Mode B UHF/VHF transponders – one Indian and the other designed by an amateur radio operator from the Higher Technical Institute in Venio, Netherlands. Although Saudi Arabia operates a Ham satellite, it is intended for use only by Gulf countries. "India will make available Hamsat to everyone in the world free of cost," says project director S P Gupta.
RADHAKRISHNA RAO/BANGALORE
Source: Flight International
