Earth Observation Satellites

🔹 About

1. They are the satellites equipped with remote sensing technology.

2. Earth observation is the gathering of information about Earth's physical, chemical and biological systems.

3. Many earth observation satellites have been employed on sun-synchronous orbit.

Earth observation satellites launched by ISRO are: RESOURCESAT- 2, 2A, CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-1 and 2, OCEANSAT-2, Megha-Tropiques, SARAL and SCATSAT-1, INSAT-3DR, 3D, etc.

🔹 Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

1. A space launch vehicle designed, developed, and operated by the ISRO to launch satellites and other space objects into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits.

2. They are launched into orbit in the same direction the Earth is spinning and can have any inclination.

3. It has the capability to put a heavier payload in orbit than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

4. It is a three-stage launcher with strap-on motors.

🔹 EOS-03

1. An earth observation satellite launched by GSLV rocket

2. It was capable of imaging the entire country four to five times every day

3. The images could be used for monitoring natural disasters like floods and cyclones, water bodies, crops, vegetation and forest cover.

4. Also, the rocket was supposed to deposit the satellite in the geostationary transfer orbit, from where the satellite’s onboard propulsion system will guide it to a geostationary orbit, 36,000 km from earth’s surface.

5. It failed.

🔹 Geostationary transfer orbit: It is a circular orbit positioned approximately 35,900 km above Earth's equator and having a period of the same duration and direction as the rotation of the Earth.

An object in this orbit will appear stationary relative to the rotating Earth.