Bangalore: India would shortly launch Cartosat-2B, a high-resolution remote sensing satellite that would aid in infrastructure and urban planning, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Radhakrishnan said today.
The launch was expected by March end or mid-April and the
exact date would be finalised at the mission readiness review
(MRR) meeting on February 10, he told reporters here.
The satellite, which would be launched by Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle (PSLV), has a 0.8 metre resolution. This makes
it capable to even take pictures of a car on the ground.
"Basically, it's a high resolution satellite," he said.
India launched Cartosat-2 in January 2007 and Cartosat-2A
in April 2008. Cartosat-2B would add to the capability of the
first two satellites.
"The advantage is when you have three satellites, you get
more coverage in a day from different locations. So, this will
be of use for infrastructure and urban planning because an
object of 0.8 metres by 0.8 metres, say a car which is going
on a road, that level you can identify," he said.
"When you want infrastructure planning for a city, you
need pictures of that resolution. That's what it (Cartosat) is
going to give," the ISRO chairman added.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 04, 2010, 16:53