OCEANSAT-2

OCEANSAT-2

India’s polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) has once again done its job perfectly, placing the country’s Oceansat-2 as well as six European nano satellites in orbit around the earth. The PSLV has launched a total of 39 space craft.
The oceansat-I satellite. Launched 10 years ago, was the first Indian earth viewing satellite configured for watching over the oceans.
Oceansat-2 launched by PSLV- C14 on Wednesday 23rd September 2009 is doing’ absolutely fine” and the on board camera, called the ocean colour monitor (OCM), has taken pictures of the Arabian sea, off the coast of Gujarat’s kutch region.
The life of oceansat-2 is five years. The six foreign nano satellites, which were also launched by the PSLV- C-14, were in the right orbit. The images sent by oceansat-2 were received at the National Remote sensing center’s (NRSC) Earth station at shadnayar, 60k.m south of hydra bad at 12.40p.m
The images showing ocean features and cloud formation were’ very good’ NRSC sources said
India’s space scientists had many reasons to celebrate after their ocean satellite was successfully placed in orbit. The fishermen too can celebrate for better catch and profit as the oceansat-2 starts to streak across the sky. It is a blessing indeed that the satellite is equipped with an eight band ocean colour monitor that can accurately forecast the movement of fish and help increase the catch.
Oceansat-2 is carrying a GPS- based instrument supplied by the Italian space Agency, which can provide temperature and humidity profiles of the atmosphere. This information will be invaluable for weather forecasters and atmospheric scientists.

Prof John KURAKAR