India's weather satellite INSAT-3D functioning normally

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday said that the country's all weather satellite INSAT-3D, which was launched on Friday morning, is functioning normally.

ISRO's Director (Publicity) Karnik said that the master control facility at Hassan in Karnataka is tracking the satellite and orbit raising manoeuvre is under progress.

He said the satellite is being moved from geo synchronous transfer orbit to geo stationary orbit at 36000 kms.

The meteorological payloads in the satellite will be turned on in the second week of next month.

An indigenously designed and developed INSAT-3D Meteorological Data Processing System is installed at the Meteorological Department in New Delhi with a mirror site at Space Applications Centres in Bopal and Ahmedabad.

According to media reports, theses centres will collate data from the satellite to give accurate weather report of the country.

ISRO will focus on end-to-end reception and processing of INSAT-3D data and the derivation of meteorological parameters along with India Meteorological Department.