Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh: India's defence surveillance capabilities received a quantum boost on Monday with the launch of an all-weather day-night spy satellite that has the capability to look through clouds and fog.
The launch of the radar imaging satellite RISAT-2, equipped with a sophisticated Israeli-built synthetic aperture radar (SAR) was hastened in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, ahead of RISAT-1 that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is still building.
At 6:45am, the ISRO workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) soared aloft with a deep throated growl with 340 kg of luggage - the 300kg RISAT-2 and the 40kg Anusat educational satellite built by Chennai's Anna University with funding from ISRO.
After 17 minutes into the flight guided by ISRO-developed navigation systems, the 229-tonne rocket slung RISAT-2 540km above the earth and Anusat 10km further two minutes later to place them into their intended orbits.
Immediately after their launch, the Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with the help of ISTRAC network of stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius and in other places monitored the trajectories of the two satellites.
ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair said: "This is a fantastic New Year gift for the country. We are happy. Performance of the vehicle is precise. There is no deviation to the planned flight path. Both the spacecraft were delivered into orbit."
Nair hastened to add that RISAT-2 "is an imaging satellite that can identify features on ground". "There is nothing as a spy satellite. Though the satellite has a global coverage we will use it only for our use."
However, the presence of the SAR on board made it clear that it would largely be used for military purposes, particularly along the India-Pakistan frontier in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.
According to Nair, RISAT-2 has been positioned at a 41 degree inclination to enable it revisit a spot at frequent intervals.
Queried about the need for ISRO to develop another such satellite, Ranganath R. Navalgund, director of the Space Applications Centre, said: "With two satellites the frequency of visits increases."
According to him, satellites orbiting in some frequencies cannot look at the earth very closely.
Not disclosing the price paid to the Israel Aerospace Industries, with which RISAT-2 has been developed, Nair said: "Normally a remote sensing satellite weighing one tonne would cost around Rs800 million (Dh66.7 million). This spacecraft is much smaller."
India now joins a select group of countries in the world like US, Canada, Israel and Japan in having such a precision satellite.
Nair also said 2009 was going to be a big year for ISRO. "We will be launching Resourcesat, Oceansat and others. An indigenously developed cryogenic engine will be inducted this year."
India is a prominent player in the remote sensing data market and with the launch of RISAT-2, ISRO will have nine remote sensing satellites in orbit.
"Oceansat-2 is expected to be launched this June or July using PSLV. Piggy-backing will be a Swiss-owned microsatellite. Following that will be the launch of GSAT with Geo Synchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) that will be fitted with indigenous cryogenic engine," S. Sathish, director (publications and public relations) at ISRO, said.
Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (IANS) The radar imaging satellite (RISAT-2) launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from here yesterday is owned and operated by ISRO, its chief said, dismissing reports labelling RISAT-2 a "spy satellite".
