In News:

Recently, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar near the Sagaing-Mandalay border, causing severe damage in key cities such as Mandalay and Sagaing. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) used its advanced Earth observation satellite CARTOSAT-3 to assess the destruction via high-resolution post-disaster imagery.

CARTOSAT-3: An Overview

• Developer: ISRO
• Launched by: PSLV-C47
• Mission Type: Third-generation agile Earth observation satellite
• Successor to: IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) series

Key Specifications:

Feature                                  Details

Resolution                           Panchromatic: 0.25 metres (sharpest civilian)

Orbit Altitude                    509 km (Sun-synchronous orbit)

Inclination                           97.5°

Weight                                   1,625 kg

Technologies                     Agile cameras, advanced onboard computers, high-speed data transmission

Commercial Use

• First commercial order executed by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm.

Applications of CARTOSAT-3

• Disaster Management: Monitoring and assessing damage from earthquakes, floods, and landslides
• National Security & Strategic Operations: Surveillance and intelligence (used in 2016 LoC surgical strikes and 2015 Myanmar-Manipur ops)
• Urban & Rural Planning: Infrastructure development, land-use mapping, and road networks
• Environmental Monitoring: Coastal regulation and land-use changes
• Cartography and Remote Sensing: High-precision geospatial mapping and terrain analysis

Cartosat and Other ISRO Satellite Series

Satellite Series                                  Focus Area

Cartosat-1 to 3                                  High-resolution Earth imaging for urban/rural planning

RISAT                                                         Radar-based imaging (all-weather surveillance)

Oceansat                                               Oceanography, weather, and marine research

INSAT &Megha-Tropiques         Atmospheric and climate monitoring