NEWS

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully launched its earth observation satellite EOS-4 and two co-passenger technology demonstrator and scientific satellites from the first launch pad at the country’s only spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh recently

EOS-04

Cartosat series of satellites

Fourth in a series of earth observation satellites

Launched on PSLV C5

USES

• Land and forest mapping and monitoring
• Mapping of resources like water or minerals or fishes
• Weather and climate observations
• Soil assessment
• Geospatial contour mapping
• Complement the data from Resourcesat, Cartosat and RISAT-2B

NOTE – ISRO had moved to a new naming system for its earth observation satellites which till then had been named thematically, according to the purpose they were meant for

OTHER SATELLITES LAUNCHED

INSPIREsat-1

• Student satellite
• Developed by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in collaboration with the University of Colorado in the United States where it was assembled and tested.
• Students from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and National Central University of Taiwan have also contributed.
• Study the dynamics of the upper atmosphere and carries an X-ray spectrometer for studying solar flares.

INS-2TD

• Technology demonstrator for the first India-Bhutan joint satellite
• Two countries had signed a space agreement last year, and its first outcome would be the launch of BhutanSat, or INS-2B, on a PSLV rocket in March.
• Has a thermal imaging camera meant for earth observation purposes, like assessment of land and water surface temperature, and identification of forest and tree cover.