The Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is currently working on its next moon
project called Chandrayaan-3, will launch its cartography satellite Cartosat-3
and 13 commercial nanosatellites into sun-synchronous orbit, on November 25.
Cartostat-3,
which is a third-generation earth-imaging satellite, as well as the
nanosatellites, will be launched from Sriharikota at 9:28 AM on a Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL variant (PSLV-XL) rocket, called PSLV C-47.
Cartostat-3 will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees. It also has a resolution of 0.25 metre or 25 centimetres as well as a wider occupying range of 16 km, more than those in surveillance satellites launched before.
The launch of Cartostat-3 will be followed by the launch of Risat-2BR 1 and Risat-2BR2, both of which are surveillance satellites as well and will be launched in December. The launch of the three satellites is a part of efforts to increase the country’s security by putting more ‘eyes in the sky.’