The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV, commercially viable only from Russia.
PSLV can also launch small size satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
PSLV-C16 is set to be launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on April 20, 2011.
PSLV-C16 will carry 3 satellites into orbit:
1. Resourcesat-2, built by ISRO, is an advanced remote sensing satellite for facilitating the study and management of natural resources.
2. Youthsat, a joint Indo-Russian satellite for stellar and atmospheric studies including watching the activities in the sun and their effect on the earth’s upper atmosphere.
3. X-Sat, a microsatellite for imaging applications built by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
An important feature of Resourcesat-2 is that it carries 3 cameras with high, medium and coarse resolutions on a single platform.
The images taken by Resourcesat-2 will be useful in estimating:
1. Health of crops.
2. Locating ground water.
3. To monitor deforestation.
4. Monitoring level of water in reservoirs and lakes.
5. Snow melt in Himalayas and the consequent receipt of water in the rivers.
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