ISRO lining up launch of India's geo imaging satellite GISAT-1

ISRO is looking at March-end-early-April timeframe for the mission from Sriharikota spaceport

The Indian Space Research Organisation is lining up the launch of its geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 close on the heels of the February 28 PSLV- C51 mission.

The launch of GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 rocket was originally planned for March five last year, but was postponed a day before the blast-off due to technical reasons.

Secretary in the Department of Space and ISRO Chairman K Sivan told PTI that the technical issues have been resolved and the delay in the launch was due to the Covid-19 lockdown which affected normal work.

Read | ISRO completes launch rehearsal of PSLV-C51 mission, two satellites drop out

Sources in the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said ISRO is now looking at March-end-early-April timeframe for the mission from Sriharikota spaceport, about 100 km from Chennai.

According to ISRO, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud-free condition, at frequent intervals. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F10) will launch GISAT-1 from the Second Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.

Weighing about 2,268kg, GISAT-1 is the first state-of-the-art agile earth observation satellite which will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by GSLV-F10, according to ISRO officials.

"Subsequently, the satellite will reach the final geostationary orbit using its onboard propulsion system," ISRO had said a few days before the planned launch in March last year.