27525 - KALPANA-1

KALPANA 1 (formerly METSAT 1) is an Indian (ISRO) meteorological, geostationary satellite that was launched by an upgraded, four-stage PSLV-C4 rocket from Sriharikota in the southeast coast of India at 10:24 UT on 12 September 2002. The triaxially-stabilized, 1,050 kg (including 560 kg of propellant), 550 W satellite carries a VHRR (Very High Resolution Radiometer) scanning radiometer for three-band images: one in the visible, the second in the thermal infrared and the third in the water vapor infrared bands, each at a spatial resolution of 2-km x 2-km resolution, to obtain atmospheric cloud cover, water vapor and temperature. It carries also a Data Relay Transponder (DRT) to provide data from fixed/mobile ground level weather platforms. It was maneuvered from the transfer orbit to a geostationary at 37 degrees E longitude on 16 September, and then to the final parking at 74 degrees E longitude on 24 September.

The satellite was renamed in honor of Kalpana Chawla, the Indian astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia accident in February 2003.

Alternate Names

Kalpanasat
Metsat 1

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2002-09-12
Launch Vehicle: PSLV
Launch Site: Sriharikota, India