INSAT-3D: Main Highlights of this Satellite
INSAT-3D: Main Highlights of this Satellite
Question: INSAT-3D which is India’s advanced weather satellite has completed 2 successful years in orbit according to ISRO. Provide the highlights of this satellite
- INSAT-3D is an exclusive mission for enhanced meteorological observations and land as well as ocean monitoring for weather forecasting and disaster warning
- Satellite was launched on 26th July, 2013 by European rocket Ariane VA214 flight from the French Guyana
- This is the first Indian geostationary satellite with sounder equipment providing good quality atmospheric profiles over the land mass of the nation and neighbouring areas
- Main aim of the INSAT-3D mission is the provision of high quality observations for monitoring as well as prediction of weather events and study of the climate
- State of the art instruments such as Imager and Sounder aboard this satellite provide atmospheric products such as cloud coverage images, sea and land surface temperatures, atmospheric winds, humidity, earth’s radiation, quantitative rainfall, radiation on the earth, atmospheric profiles, atmospheric stability parameters, fog, aerosols and snow.
- Products help in monitoring day to day as well as extreme weather events
- Its radiance observations and derived products are being operationally assimilated in numerical modes operated by national weather prediction agencies such as IMD and NCMRWF
- Leading global agencies like European Centre of Medium Range Weather Forecast and United Kingdom Meteorological Office are also looking to use INSAT-3D in their global models
- Achievement of INSAT-3D mission led the way for ISRO to become the member of well known international groupings such as Coordination Group of Meteorological Satellites
- INSAT-3D radiances are monitored and calibrated through Global Space Based Inter Calibration System to ensure the observations meet international standards of quality
- INSAT-3D has recently completed 2 years in orbit on July 26, 2015
Facts and Stats
- Multi-spectral imager and sounder is part of the satellite’s payload
- It has a 19 channel sounder with 18 narrow spectral channels in short, medium and long wave infrared regions and one channel in the visible region
- The Data Relay Transponder is used to receive meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic data from remote areas
- Satellite Aided Search and Rescue Transponder is also part of the Satellite’s payload
