First radar imaging satellite to be launched Monday

Chennai, Apr 19 (PTI) Aiming to enhance India's defence
surveillance capabilities, ISRO is all set to launch its first
Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) and micro educational
satellite, ANUSAT, from its spaceport in Sriharikota at 6.45
AM Monday.

According to ISRO, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C12
(PSLV-C12) would carry the 300-kg RISAT-2 and 40-kg micro
satellite, ANUSAT, built by Anna University.

RISAT, to be launched from Sriharikota on the east coast
of the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, some 80 km north
from here, has all weather capability to take images of the
Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing
natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides
amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation.

As per specifications, RISAT is different from previous
remote sensing satellites as it uses Synthetic Aperture Radar
(SAR), equipped with many antennas to receive signals that are
processed into high-resolution pictures.

The SAR, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, gives
RISAT defence capabilities.

ANUSAT is the first satellite developed by an Indian
university (Anna University), which would demonstrate the
technologies related to message storing and forward
operations.

University sources said scores of students and faculty
from different streams had worked on this satellite for the
last six years.

ANUSAT is a store-and-forward communication satellite
that will help transfer confidential academic materials,
including exam question papers, to prevent question paper
leakages. It will also help monitor drought and wasteland,
urban planning and other studies.

"The countdown for the launch commenced yesterday at 6.45
AM and propellant filling operations for the fourth stage of
the vehicle is over," S Satish, director, Publications and
Public Relations, ISRO, told PTI.

"All operations are progressing satisfactorily," he said,
adding that this weather would be perfect for the launch.

According to ISRO's other technical specification, PSLV
is a four-stage launch vehicle, employing both solid and
liquid propulsion stages. PSLV is ISRO's trusted workhorse.

During its previous mission on October 22, 2008, PSLV had
successfully launched the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, which is
now exploring the Moon from a lunar orbit.

In its standard configuration, the 44 metre tall PSLV has
a lift-off mass of 295 tonnes. It is a four-stage launch
vehicle with the first and the third stages as well as the six
strap-ons surrounding the first stage using HTPB based solid
propellant.

PSLV's first stage is one of the largest solid propellant
boosters in the world.

Its second and fourth stages use liquid propellants.
PSLV-C12 will be launched without the six strap-ons in its
core-alone configuration. PSLV-C12 weighs about 230 tonnes at
lift off. PTI SNR