Tuesday, April 19 2005 15:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Thiruvananthapuram: India's new remote sensing satellite, 'Cartosat-1' would be launched in the first week of next month (MAY), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G Madhavan Nair said today (Apr 19, 2005).

In an informal chat with reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, on the sidelines of a function at the Kerala Hightech Industries Limited (KELTEK), which handed over two major components for Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) to ISRO, Nair said that the satellite would be launched from the newly set up Second Launching Pad (SLP) at Sriharikota.

The integration of the satellite, to be launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with the launcher would be completed within two weeks, he said.

The Cartosat would have unique stereoscopic cameras with 2.5 metre resolution, which would be capable of mapping the terrain of the entire subcontinent, Nair said.

The high resolution would be able to map even the hilly areas in the region. The satellite had reached Sriharikota and the final tests were on, he said.

KELTEK chairman R V Perumal handed over the L-40 tankage and L-40 contour nozzle thrust chamber for the use of ISRO's GSLV programmes at the function.

On ISRO's 'Chandrayan' programme, Nair said that it was progressing as per schedule. The fabrication of instruments was being done and land had been acquired in Bangalore for setting up the Deep Space Tracking Networking station.

A large antenna system for the project was being developed indigenously with the help of the Hyderabad-based Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), he said.