India to launch home-built RISAT-1 next month

India is expected to launch next month an indigenously designed and developed satellite that has the unique capability of imaging during day and night and in all weather conditions. 'The Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1) is likely to be launched in the second half of April from Sriharikota space port,' pti quoted an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official as saying in Bangalore, capital of Karnataka state. The spacecraft, country's first microwave remote sensing satellite, was originally scheduled to be launched this month but the ISRO row, the fallout of the punitive action against four former space scientists for their role in the Antrix-Devas deal, delayed the preparations. Nearly two years ago, India launched a Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) with all weather capability and ability to penetrate through clouds but it was realised in association with Israel Aerospace Industries. Bangalore-headquartered ISRO said RISAT-2 has enhanced the country's capability in the management of disasters. RISAT-1, weighing around 1850 kg, is slated for launch by ISRO's workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C19 (XL)) into a 536 km orbit. Besides use in the agriculture sector, RISAT-1 could also be used to keep round-the-clock vigil on the country's borders and help in anti-terrorist and anti-infiltration operations. The satellite carries a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, operating in a multi-polarisation and multi-resolution mode to provide images with coarse, fine and high spatial resolutions respectively.