RISAT-1 placed in final Polar Sun-synchronous orbit

April 29, 2012

India’s indigenously built Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1), launched on April 26, 2012 has been placed in its final Polar Sun-synchronous Orbit.
On April 27-28, 2012 the satellite’s propulsion system was used in 4 orbital manoeuvres to raise the height of the orbit of RISAT-1 to 536 km. In the coming days, various elements of the C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) will be tested and calibrated as a prelude to payload operations.

In compared to the optical remote sensing satellites that depend upon sunlight, the Synthetic Aperture Radar of RISAT-1 transmits its own radar pulses to study the objects on Earth. This facilitates cloud penetration and imaging even without sunlight.
Images sent by the 1,858 kg RISAT-1 will facilitate agriculture and disaster management.