ISRO launches Cartosat-3 and 13 nanosatellites from Sriharikota

India’s
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL) rocket carrying advanced earth
observation satellite Cartosat-3 and 13 US nanosatellites lifted off from the
second launch pad of the rocket port on Wednesday.

At about
9.28 a.m. the 44.4 metre tall, weighing 320 ton PSLV-C47 rocket blasted off
from the second launch pad at the country’s rocket port.

According to
ISRO, the 1,625 kg Cartosat-3 is an advanced acute satellite to obtain
panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of five years.

It has the
capability of take sharp pictures with a ground resolution of 0.25 metre in
Panchromatic and 1 metre ground resolution or ground sample distance (GSD) in 4
Band Multispectral modes with a broad area of 16 km, said ISRO.

The Indian
space agency also said, Cartosat-3 has many new technologies and elements like
highly acute structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling
and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics,
dual gimbal antenna and others.

To be placed
in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees, the Cartosat-3 will provide
images that serve to the demand of urban planning, rural resource and
infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover and also for
strategic and defence purposes.

The Indian
space agency officials used to say that they would supply the required images
for various agencies.The sharp satellite images can also be used for
surveillance purposes.

Sharing the
ride with Cartosat-3 were 13 nano satellites from the USA for an undisclosed
fee to be paid to NewSpace India Ltd, the new commercial arm of ISRO.

According to
ISRO, 12 of the US nano satellites are named as FLOCK-4P are earth observation
satellites and the 13th is called MESHBED, a communication test bed satellite.