NASA & European space agency to use Isro's Scatterometer data

Data will be generated by SCATSAT-1 which was launched on Monday

The data generated from the Scatterometer, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will also be used by the American space agency NASA and European Space Agency, Isro said on Tuesday.

On Monday morning, PSLV-C35 was launched with the 371-kg SCATSAT-1 for weather related studies and seven co-passenger satellites into polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Three of the co-passenger satellites are from Algeria, Canada and the US, while there are two satellites, PRATHAM from IIT Bombay and PISAT from PES University, Bengaluru.

Isro on Tuesday said "SCATSAT-1 is a global mission and data generated from the Scatterometer, developed by Isro will also be utilised by the American space agency NASA and European Space Agency organisation, EUMETSAT to provide global weather data to all those involved in weather studies and global climate change studies".

Global wind data, which is very crucial for cyclone detection and weather forecasting applications, was gathered by Scatterometer instrument flown as one of the payloads in OCEANSAT- 2 satellite. This data was utilised by national and international users and proved to be a very important tool for oceanographic studies. SCATSAT-1 is the continuity mission for Scatterometer payload carried by the earlier Oceansat-2 satellite.

The magnitude and direction of the wind vector at the ocean surface is a key parameter for weather prediction as well as detection and tracking of cyclones, said Isro. The objectives of SCATSAT-1 includes to facilitate the weather forecasting services to the user communities through the generation of wind vector products. The Ku-band Scatterometer payload carried by SCATSAT-1 has enhanced features compared to the similar one carried by Oceansat-2 launched in 2009.

SCATSAT-1 is built around ISRO's small satellite 'IMS-2 BUS'. The spacecraft will work in sun synchronous orbit of 720 km. altitude with an inclination of 98.1 deg. This will be a polar orbiting satellite and will take two days to cover the entire globe. The expected life span of the satellite is 5 years with non-stop 24 X 7 all weather operations.

The satellite is carrying a Ku-band Scanning Scatterometer radar instrument operating at 13.515 GHz similar to the instrument flown onboard Oceansat-2. The payload instrument will be a vital tool globally used to study wind patterns above the ocean, air-sea interactions, ocean circulation and their overall effects on weather patterns. Climate quality data is expected to be obtained from this spacecraft to provide accurate knowledge regarding Himalayan ice formation and melting, cyclones formation near Indian coastal line, Greenland ice melting, etc.,

The wind vectors will help meteorologists in accurately predict the cyclone formation, its movement and estimated landfall.

Isro noted Ocean wind vectors data helped in accurately predicting cyclone 'Phailin' in the Odisha coast in 2013, which helped in mitigation and saving of mankind and livestock.