ISRO-OCEANSAT 2LST

Besides two Rubin nano satellites from Germany, the four
cubesats lined up for the mission are: Beesat (built by
Technical University, Berlin), UWE-2 (University of Wuerzburg,
Germany), ITU-pSat (Istanbul Technical University, Turkey) and
SwissCube-1 (Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne,
Switzerland).

Oceansat-2 would carry an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and
a Ku-band pencil beam Scatterometer, besides a Radio
Occultation Sounder for Atmospheric Studies (ROSA), developed
by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

ISRO chief said the Ku-band pencil beam Scatterometer
with a ground resolution cell of 50 KMs X 50 KMs is expected
to provide the wind vector range of four to 24 metres per
second with better than 20 per cent accuracy in speed and 20
degree in wind direction.

The on-board Scatterometer is a very good instrument for
getting surface wind on the sea. It is required for sea state
forecasting. And for maritime navigation, the wave height and
disturbance is also important, Nair said.

The eight-band OCM is similar to the one in Oceansat-1
with appropriate spectral bandwidth modifications based on the
experience gained. OCM, with 360 metres spatial resolution and
a swath of 1,420 kms, would provide a two-day repeativity.

Since Oceansat-2 is a continuity mission to Oceansat-1,
the same polar sun synchronous orbit of 720 KMs has been
retained.

An ISRO official said Oceansat-1 essentially could look
at only the colour of the ocean but the upcoming spacecraft is
a comprehensive system and would look at surface winds and
temperature, among other things. PTI