Lok Sabha Question No. 219 (STARRED), answered on 2016-11-30
Subject: Weather Satellite
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: BALKA SUMAN

- *219.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.219

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

## WEATHER SATELLITE

- SHRI SUMAN BALKA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully launched the country's weather satellite INSAT3DR,  into  a  Geosynchronous  Transfer  Orbit  (GTO)  to  provide variety  of  inputs  essential  for  accurate  weather  forecasting; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) &  (b)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
- *****

STATEMENT LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN REPLY TO STARRED  QUESTION  NO.219  REGARDING  'WEATHER  SATELLITE' ASKED  BY  SHRI  SUMAN  BALKA  FOR  ANSWER  ON  WEDNESDAY,

NOVEMBER 30, 2016.

- (a) Yes  Madam.  Indian  Space  Research  Organisation  (ISRO)  has successfully  launched  Indian  weather  satellite  'INSAT-3DR' into  a  Geosynchronous  Transfer Orbit  (GTO)  onboard  India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle 'GSLV-F05' (equipped  with  the  indigenous  Cryogenic  Upper  Stage)  on September  08,  2016 from  Satish  Dhawan  Space  Centre, Sriharikota.  After  completing  orbit  raising  operations,  INSAT3DR has been positioned in  its  designated  slot  of  74  degree East longitude in geostationary orbit.
- (b) INSAT-3DR carries two meteorological payloads viz., 6 channel Imaging system and 19 channel Atmospheric sounder. It  also  carries  a  Data  Relay  Transponder  (DRT)  and  Satellite Aided Search and Rescue (SA&R) payload.

The  multi-spectral  Imaging  system  generates  images  of  the earth,  every  30  minutes,  in  six  wavelength  bands  (visible, shortwave infrared, middle infrared, water vapor and 2 bands in  thermal  infrared  region)  to  derive  information  on  various parameters,  viz.  outgoing  long-wave  radiation,  quantitative precipitation estimation, sea surface temperature, snow cover, cloud motion winds, fog etc. The atmospheric sounder has eighteen narrow spectral channels in shortwave infrared, middle  infrared  and  long  wave  infrared  regions  and  one channel  in  the  visible region.  It  provides  information  on vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and integrated ozone. These profiles are available for a selected region over Indian  landmass  every  one  hour  and  for  the  entire  Indian Ocean  Region  every  six  hours.  The  data  and  geophysical products derived from INSAT-3DR are assimilated in numerical weather  models  for  weather  forecasting,  including  cyclone tracking. INSAT-3DR together with INSAT-3D launched in 2013 provides images every 15 minutes. DRT  is  used  for  receiving  meteorological,  hydrological  and oceanographic  data  from  remote,  uninhabited  locations  over the coverage area from Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) and data is relayed back for down linking in extended C-Band. SAS & R payload (operating in 406 MHz) picks up and relays the  alert  signals  originating  from  the  distress  beacons  of maritime, aviation and land based users to the Indian Mission Control  Centre  (INMCC)  located  at  ISRO  Telemetry,  Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bangalore.

*****