The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has had to revise their launch schedule of GISAT-1, a geo-imaging satellite, that was to travel to orbit via a GSLV-F10 rocket — according to the agency, a ‘minor issue’ is the reason for the launch delay. The plan is to now launch GISAT-1 on April 18.
GISAT-1 was to originally launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, about 100 kms north of Chennai, India, on March 5th of 2020; however, that launch was postponed a day before the event due to technical reasons. ISRO sources indicated that the delay in the launch at that time was due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown which affected normal work schedules.
According to ISRO, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud-free condition, at frequent intervals when commissioned on-orbit.
Weighing in at about 2,268 kg., GISAT-1 is the first, state-of- the-art, agile EO satellite to be placed in GEO by the GSLV-F10 launch vehicle.
