INDIAN REMOTE-SENSING SATELLITES - PLANNED MISSIONS AND FUTURE APPLICATIONS

To cater the enhanced user demands, Indian Space Research Organisation is stepping a giant leap forward towards development of the state-of- the-art second generation Indian Remote Sensing Satellites, IRS-1C/1D following the successful design, launch and in-orbit performance of th e first generation satellites, IRS-1A/1B. Characterised by improved sp atial resolution, extended spectral bands, stereo-viewing and more fre quent revisit capability, IRS-1C/1D are expected for launch during the timeframe of 1995-96\8. The IRS-1C and 1D, which are identical, will have three major payloads. The Linear Imaging Spectral Scanner (LISS-I II) in four spectral bands covering from 0.52 to 1.70 microns will hav e a spatial resolution of 23m along with a swath of 142 km in the visi ble and NIR spectral bands and a spatial resolution of 70m along with a swath of 148 km in the SWIR spectral band. The Panchromatic Camera ( PAN) with a spectral band of 0.50 to 0.75 microns will have a spatial resolution of <10m along with a swath of 70 km and a payload steering capability up to +/- 26 degrees. The Wide Field Sensor (WiFS) in visib le and near IR with two bands and a spatial resolution of 188m will pr ovide a swath of 774 kms. These sensors will provide better informatio n on water stress, pest infestation and vegetation indices to arrive a t better agricultural management practices, besides providing enhanced capabilities for arriving solutions for micro-level resource developm ent and generation of digital terrain models. Having marked by the suc cessful launch of IRS-P2 in 1994 through the indigenous development fl ight of PSLV, India is now poised to launch IRS-P3 satellite with uniq ue payloads in the timeframe of 1995-96. The IRS-P3 will carry three o perational payloads viz., Wide Field Sensor (WiFS), Modular Opto-elect ronic Scanner(MOS) imaging spectrometer and an X-ray Astronomy payload . These payload mix of sensors will provide further capabilities for a pplication studies related to vegetation dynamics, oceanography and X- ray astronomy. With the launch of these payloads, India will provide m ore effective and assured data services to the user community beyond t he 90's.