8 facts about ISRO’s weather satellite launch!

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the longest PSLV multi-orbital launch mission on Monday.

Today at 9:12 hours (IST), ISRO’s PSLV-C35 takes off from Sriharikota carrying 8 satellites - three from India, three from Algeria, and one each from Canada and the US.

The rocket’s main payload will be the 371 kg SCATSAT-1 satellite for the ocean and climate-related studies which will be set into a 730 km polar Sun-synchronous circle around 17 minutes into the flight.

Here are some key facts about the Indain weather satellite SCATSAT-1.

• Developed by ISRO, SCATSAT-1 is to provide wind vector data products for weather forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking services to the users.
• The satellite is a continuity mission for Oceansat-2 which has become dysfunctional after its life span of four-and-a-half years.
• SCATSAT-1 carries Ku-band scatterometer (110 kg) similar to the one flown onboard Oceansat-2.  
• The weight of the scatterometer is 110 kg.[1] It will be able to predict the formation and strengthening of possible cyclones. This can be done by keeping a watch on the formation of the vortex of air over oceans.
• The satellite, which will measure the wind speed and it’s direction over the ocean, can predict the formation of cyclones, about 4-5 days in advance.
•  This time period is very crucial in saving lives. The scatterometer flown in Oceansat-2 had accurately predicted Cyclone Phailin in Orissa coast in October 2013.
• The data generated by SCATSAT-1 will be used by NASA, EUMETSAT and NOAA. Currently India is dependent on NASA’s ISS-RapidScat for prediction of cyclone forecasting and weather prediction.
• The mission life of the satellite is 5 years.