INSAT-3DR, an advanced metrological satellite has been launched into Geostationary orbit by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F05). The satellite has been built by ISRO and operated by Indian National Satellite System. The satellite has an imaging system and an atmospheric sounder.
Some of the salient features of the satellite includes:
Imaging in the middle infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog.
Imaging in two thermal infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with better accuracy.
Higher Spatial Resolution in the visible and thermal infrared bands.
And, like its predecessor INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR carries a Data Relay Transponder as well as a Search and Rescue Transponder. Thus, INSAT-3DR will provide service continuity to earlier meteorological missions of ISRO and further augment the capability to provide various meteorological as well as search and rescue services.
GSLV – F05 take off (Source:ISRO)
INSAT-3DR has a lift-off mass of 2211 kg, which includes about 1255 kg of propellant. The propellant carried by INSAT-3DR is mainly required to raise the satellite from the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) to its final Geostationary Orbit and to maintain the satellite in its orbital slot during its life. The satellite has a solar array generating 1700 Watts of power.
The different payloads included in the satellite are:
Imager – INSAT-3DR carries an optical radiometer or multi-spectral imager to generate images of earth in six bands of electromagnetic spectrum (visible, shortwave, infrared, middle infrared, water vapour and two bands in thermal infrared regions). These images will be generated every 26 minutes from a geostationary altitude of 36000 km. The images will provide information on outgoing long wave radiation, quantitative precipitation estimation, sea surface temperature, snow cover, cloud motion winds etc.
Sounder – The satellite is equipped with a 19 channel sounder having 18 narrow spectral channels in shortwave infrared, middle infrared and long wave infrared regions and one channel in visible region.Vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and information on integrated ozone will be collected for selected areas over Indian landmass on an hourly basis and the entire Indian Ocean every six hours.
Data Relay Transponder (DRT) – The DRT onboard the satellite will be used for receiving metrological, hydrological and oceanographic data from remote uninhabited locations over the coverage area from data collection platforms (DCPs) like automatic weather stations, automatic rain gauges and agro met stations. The data is relayed back in extended C-Band. ISOR and Indian Metrological Department (IMD) have setup more than 3000 data collection platforms.
Satellite Aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R) Transponder – The SAS&R payload helps pick up and relay alert signals originating from distress beacons of maritime, aviation and land based users to Indian Mission Control Center (INMCC) located at ISTRAC, Bangalore.
INSAT Meteorological data processing system (IMDPS) – An indigenously developed IMDPS is installed at IMD, New Delhi with a mirror site and space applications centre, Ahmedabad. IMDPS will help process all the data transmitted by the imager and sounder payloads.