ISRO Launches HysIS – India’s Best Earth Imaging Satellite

ISRO Satellite

ISRO Satellite

It’s in the sky. The best Earth-Imaging Satellite of India has been launched by the ISRO today at 9.58 AM. HysIS (Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite), which has been hyped for having the best resolution ever, was carried into space with the PSLV-C43 rocket. HysIS has a life of 5 years and is placed at an inclination of 97.957 deg in the polar SSO (Sun Synchronous Orbit). The satellite is also named informally after a popular cartoon ‘Chhota Bheem’, considering its relatively lower weight of 380 kg. The rocket also bears 30 foreign satellites, mostly which are from the US (23). The others are from countries like Spain, Malaysia, Colombia, and Australia. This is also the first time an Indian rocket has been used to launch these foreign countries’ satellites.

A Matter of Pride

ISRO proudly boasts about the primary satellite of the mission. According to Dr. K Sivan, the ISRO Chairman, hyperspectral imaging technology is used in this satellite and has been mastered by a very few countries indigenously. He also said that the data send to the earth by these hyper-spectral cameras are very difficult to interpret.

The primary goal of the HysIS is to study the surface of the blue planet in three regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, namely, shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible. Hyperspectral imaging was tried by ISRO before as well in the IMS-1 experimental satellite in May 2008 and in Chandrayaan Mission in the same year. However, this is the first time a completely hyperspectral imaging satellite has been sent. Hyspex or hyperspectral has the combined power of spectroscopy and digital imaging. It facilitates the clear identification of materials, objects and even the processes that take place on the Earth. This has cleared the road for collecting and faithful processing of information.

The Whole Process

The PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) was launched in Sriharikota region of Andhra Pradesh from Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The vehicle aims to launch the total 31 satellites in 2 orbits. First, it will position the Indian satellite at an elevation of 636 km over the earth surface. For the next phase, the rocket will be ignited again 2 times. It will descend to 504 km and then release the other satellites into the orbit. The whole process would continue for 112 minutes.

Other missions of ISRO