The Indian remote sensing satellite: a programme overview

Abstract

The Indian remote sensing satellite (IRS) programme, is a major step forward in the overall programme for using space technology for defined applications in India. The principal elements of this programme are (i) to design, develop and deploy a three-axis stabilized polar sun-synchronous satellite carrying state-of-the-art payloads using charge coupled devices for acquiring images of the earth, (ii) to establish and routinely operate ground-based systems for spacecraft control, data reception and recording, processing, generation of data products, analysis and archival, and (iii) to use IRS data either alone or in conjunction with supplementary and complementary data for applications in selected resources surveys. Various considerations that have gone into the definition of different subsystems of each of the above are discussed in this paper. Different elements of theirs utilization programme and their role in the evolution of a national natural resources management system are also outlined.