ISRO likley to launch Resourcesat-2 in april

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to launch Resourcesat-2, a remote sensing satellite that will provide information on biophysical and geophysical parameters on the Earth’s surface, from Sriharikota Space Centre in April.

Youthsat, in collaboration with Russia, and Xsat, a venture with a Singapore laboratory, are the other two satellities that will also be launched then.

The PSLV mission was earlier slated to be launched in the third week of January, which was postponed to February 24. Isro, which is still smarting under the Christmas Day disaster of the GSLV mission, decided to play it safe as scientists insisted on more tests.

Consequently, the launch was called off two days ahead of the D-day.

“Preparations are in last stages. Resourcesat-2 will be launched in April, but the date has not been fixed. It will be equipped with three advanced cameras that will transmit valuable geospatial data regarding biodiversity, forest cover, soil etc,” said a senior official in the department of space.

Resourcesat-2 is the first Indian satellite with space-based Automatic Identification System that can provide guidance to ships in distress.

Source: Press Trust of India