India launches spy satellite

R Satyanarayana

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), Apr 20 (PTI) Giving the
much needed fillip to its defence surveillance capabilities,
India Monday successfully placed into orbit an Israeli-built
all-weather spy satellite but not before some "anxious
moments" prior to the launch caused by a technical glitch
which had threatened to stall the mission.

The 300 kg RISAT-2, which will also help tackle
infiltration and tackle activities, was shot into space by
ISRO's workhorse PSLV-C12 rocket 19 minutes after it blasted
off from the spaceport here in southern state of Andhra
Pradesh as scheduled at 6.45 AM IST.

But the launch was preceded by "anxious moments"
during the 48-hour countdown for the ISRO team after an
umbilical connector from PSLV-C12's top got detached from the
launch vehicle and about half-a-dozen others were "thrown
out".

The last minute snag was overcome with the ISRO team
managing the crisis making up the six hours of countdown time
and setting everything right.

"With that condition, we could not not have gone on
with the launch," ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair later said.
"The final moments of the launch were more thrilling than a
cricket match as we hit a few boundaries and bowled some
googlies."

The PSLV-C12, on its 15th mission, also launched
RISAT-2's co-passenger micro-educational satellite ANUSAT into
orbit. A jubilant Nair described the RISAT-2 as a "new year
gift" which would be an "asset" to the country as it worked in
a mircowave band that would enable it to see through clouds
and during night.

Only four other nations -- Japan, Canada, Germany and
US -- were having similar satellites, Nair said.

RISAT-2 meets the requirement of Indian defence
establishment which have reportedly been seeking such a
capability for a long time, particularly in view of
cross-border terrorism.

The launch of the sophisticated satellite comes months
after the Mumbai terror attacks in November when the
perpetrators sneaked into the country's commercial hub through
the sea route.

It has all-weather capabilities to take images of
Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing
natural disasters, such as floods and landslides.

The 40 kg micro satellite ANUSAT, the co-passenger of
RISAT 2, has been built by Anna University to demonstrate the
technologies related to message store and forward operations.

Replying to a question, however, Nair sought to play
down RISAT-2 being a spy satellite.

"There is nothing like a spy satellite on our agenda.
We have only earth observation, communication and scientific
satellites. This is another series in the earth observation
satellites."

He said the satellite was owned by the ISRO and would
be operated by it. But he declined to reveal the cost of the
satellite, citing "commercial secrecy".

Noting that this was PSLV's 14th consecutive
successful flight, Nair said it marked a major milestone in
the history of ISRO. "I am really proud to say that as in the
past we have set the date and time for the launch and it took
place on the dot." PTI SNR
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