Eye in the sky: After successful 'monster rocket' liftoff, ISRO to launch Cartosat-2 series satellite this month-end

New Delhi: After successfully launching its most powerful rocket in a textbook style, the GSLV Mk III D1, powered by cryogenic engine, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is getting ready to launch a Cartosat-series satellite by the end of this month.

The satellite, also referred to as the 'eye in the sky' due to its surveillance capabilities, along with co-passenger satellites from abroad, will be launched by the PSLV-C38 rocket into a nominal altitude of 500 km.

The PSLV-C38/Cartosat-2 Series Satellite mission is scheduled to be launched on June 23, 2017 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

The Cartosat-series satellite carries a state-of-the-art panchromatic (PAN) camera that takes black and white pictures of the earth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The Cartosat-2C series satellite, which has added teeth to India's military surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, is mentioned to be capable of capturing minute long video of a fixed spot as well.

As per ISRO, the Cartosat-2 Series satellite mission is a follow on mission in the Cartosat-2 Series with the primary mission objective of providing high-resolution scene specific spot imagery. This is similar in configuration to earlier satellites in the series.

Earlier this week, on June 5, 2017, ISRO's GSLV Mk III D1 dubbed 'monster rocket' by scientists, on its maiden flight, slung the 3,136 kg GSAT-19 communication satellite at its intended geostationary obrit at an altitude of 179 km.

Weighing 640 tonnes and standing 43.43 metres tall, ISRO's heavy duty GSLV-Mk III is capable launching 4 ton class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer orbit (GTO). It is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25).

This month are a lot of activities for ISRO, with the Indian space agency launching the GSAT-17 communication satellite on June 28.