India is set to enhance its meteorological monitoring capabilities with the launch of INSAT-3DS, an advanced weather satellite developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
ISRO is the national space agency of India. It operates as the primary research and development arm of the Department of Space, which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India.
The INSAT-3DS satellite was recently flagged off to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota on January 25, following the successful completion of assembly, integration, and testing at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.
Scheduled for a February liftoff aboard the GSLV-F14 rocket, this state-of-the-art satellite will play a pivotal role in weather forecasting and disaster management.
About INSAT-3DS Satellite
INSAT-3DS, is an exclusive meteorological satellite realized by ISRO with the primary objective to provide continuity of services to the existing in-orbit INSAT-3D and 3DR satellites and significantly enhancing the capabilities of INSAT system.
Noteworthy, the Satellite had successfully completed Satellite Assembly, Integration & Testing activities at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. Pre-Shipment Review (PSR) was held with the participation of members from user community on January 25, 2024.
The satellite is a user funded project with Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), configured around ISRO’s well proven I-2k bus platform with a Lift-Off Mass of 2275 kg. Indian Industries have significantly contributed in the making of the Satellite.
The satellite is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning, with state-of-the-art payloads viz., 6 channel Imager & 19 channel Sounder meteorology payloads, communication payloads viz., the Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R) transponder.
The Data relay transponder (DRT) instrument, receives meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic data from automatic Data Collection Platforms / Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and augments the weather forecasting capabilities.
Satellite aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R) transponder is incorporated in the satellite to relay a distress signal / alert detection from the beacon transmitters for search and rescue services with global receive coverage.
Source: https://www.isro.gov.in/INSAT_3DS_Satellite_Flagged_off_to_SDSC_SHAR.html
