INSAT-3D is a meteorological, data relay and satellite aided search and rescue satellite developed by the

Indian Space Research Organisation The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO; ) is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bengaluru. It operates under the Department of Space (DOS) which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India, while the Chairman of ...

and was launched successfully on 26 July 2013 using an

Ariane 5 ECA Ariane 5 is a European heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed and operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency (ESA). It is launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) in French Guiana. It has been used to deliver payloads into ...

launch vehicle from

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

.ISRO Press Release
Address of ISRO Chairman
, retrieved on December 4, 2010 - "We are in the process of finalising one more launch i.e. for INSAT-3D The satellite has many new technology elements like star sensor, micro stepping Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA) to reduce the spacecraft disturbances and Bus Management Unit (BMU) for control and telecom and telemetry function. It also incorporates new features of bi-annual rotation and Image and Mirror motion compensations for improved performance of the meteorological payloads.

Mission

The mission goal is stated as "to provide an operational, environmental & storm warning system to protect life & property and also to monitor earth’s surface and carryout oceanic observations and also provide data dissemination capabilities."

Payloads

The satellite has 4 payloads: *6 channel multi-spectral Imager *19 channel sounder * Data Relay Transponder (DRT) * Satellite Aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R)

Launch

The satellite was expected to be launched using the GSLV Mk-II. On December 4, 2010, ISRO Chairman revealed that ISRO was considering the use of an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle for the launch. The launch was successfully carried out on 26 July 2013 from

. INSAT-3D was launched along with AlphaSat, which is Europe's largest telecommunication satellite.

Footnotes

External links

INSAT-3D brochure
{{Orbital launches in 2013 Weather satellites of India INSAT satellites Spacecraft launched in 2013 2013 in India