ISRO launches CARTOSAT 3 & US satellites |
ISRO has successfully launched its third generation earth ¬imaging satellite into space from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch will enhance India`s ability in high ¬resolution imaging and also reinforce India as a global launch destination for small satellites using its workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Besides the CARTOSAT 3 satellite, the PSLV C¬47 rocket carried 13 nanosatellites from the US, roped in through the new commercial arm New Space India. Cartosat 3 follows similar launches in an earlier series deployed for mapmaking applications, infrastructure planning, coastal land use and regulation, road network monitoring and more importantly, change detection in bringing out geographical and man¬made features. The mission life of these satellites was five years. The CARTOSAT 3 is a 3-¬axis agile satellite with a spatial resolution parameter of 0.25 m, an advancement from the previous series, which had the parameter at less than 1 m. Among the American satellites aboard is a technical demonstration spacecraft from US-based company Analytical Space Inc, which enables users to gain faster access to satellite data. Through its commercial arm Antrix, ISRO has completed 239 deals over the last three years and earned operational revenue over Rs 6,280 crore.
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