INSAT-3DR Remains Crucial for Weather Forecasting

INSAT-3DR is an Indian meteorological satellite launched on 8 September 2016 aboard GSLV-F05. It operates in geostationary orbit and provides real-time data for weather forecasting, cyclone tracking, disaster management, and search and rescue services over India and adjoining regions.

INSAT Series and Meteorological Satellites

The INSAT series is India’s multipurpose satellite system for communication, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue. INSAT-3DR belongs to the INSAT-3 series, which includes satellites designed for operational meteorology and atmospheric observation.

Payloads and Observation Features

INSAT-3DR carries a 6-channel multi-spectral imager, a 19-channel atmospheric sounder, a Data Relay Transponder, and a Search and Rescue Transponder. The imager provides half-hourly multispectral images over the Indian region, while the sounder measures the vertical structure of the atmosphere. The satellite also measures ocean surface temperature and cloud characteristics. Its imaging system includes middle infrared capability for night-time low clouds and fog, along with thermal infrared bands for Sea Surface Temperature estimation.

Operational Use in Forecasting

INSAT-3DR provides continuous meteorological inputs for the India Meteorological Department and other operational users. Its data support nowcasting, cyclone monitoring, rainfall estimation, and analysis of monsoon cloud bands over the Indian subcontinent. The sounder payload on INSAT-3D ended service in September 2020, after which INSAT-3DR became the primary source of hourly atmospheric sounder data in the INSAT-3 system. Satellite imagery from INSAT-3DR is used to track cloud systems over western India, eastern India, Gujarat, south Rajasthan, and north-west Maharashtra during the monsoon season.

Important Facts for Exams

• INSAT-3DR was launched on 8 September 2016 by GSLV-F05 from India.
• The satellite carries both an atmospheric sounder and a Search and Rescue Transponder.
• Geostationary satellites remain fixed relative to the Earth’s surface at an altitude of about 35,786 kilometres.
• INSAT-3DR provides half-hourly multispectral images for operational meteorology.

Related Technical Terms

Long Short-Term Memory, or LSTM, is a type of recurrent neural network used in sequence prediction. In satellite meteorology, LSTM-based models are used for short-term image prediction and nowcasting applications. Nowcasting refers to very short-range weather prediction, usually for the next few hours. It is used for rainfall alerts, thunderstorm tracking, and flood-related warnings.