Technical Issues Force ISRO To Postpone GISAT-1 Launch

According to the schedule, the GISAT-1 or the Geo Imaging Satellite-1 will be launched today. But due to technical issues, ISRO has decided to postpone the launch.

In its announcement, the Indian Space Research Organization said:

Earlier, an ISRO senior official had announced that the countdown for the launch would start at 3.43 pm on March 4.

The Indian Space Agency stated that real-time images of the region of interest would be provided by GISAT-1 frequently. The satellite would also allow for the monitoring of short term events, episodic events and natural disasters.

The weight of the GISAT-1 is 2,268 kg. The satellite will also transmit spectral signatures for forestry, agriculture, disaster warning, mineralogy, cloud properties, oceanography, snow, and glaciers. It will start its operation from a geostationary orbit, facilitating real-time monitoring of the Indian subcontinent.

The satellite will image in hyper-spectral and multi-spectral bands. There are six bands multi-spectral visible and near-infrared with a resolution of 42 meters, 158 bands hyper-spectral visible and near-infrared with a resolution of 318 meters and 256 bands of hyper-spectral short wave infrared with a resolution of 191 meters.

Besides the launch of its first Geo Imaging Satellite, ISRO is getting closer to realize its dream of using a Made-in-India spacecraft to send an Indian to space. In an official statement, Chief K Sivan stated that ISRO had finished designing the Gaganyaan rocket. For the next phase, the rocket is going through some tests. A series of tests will be carried out by the space agency to test the rocket and the orbital module system. And by the end of 2021, the space agency is planning on having its first unmanned flight. Meanwhile, the first manned spaceflight is scheduled in August 2022 during the 75th independence day.

>>> ISRO To Build Its Own Astronaut Training Facility In The Next Few Months