Chennai, India: Resourcesat-2, a remote sensing satellite, will increase the efficiency of rural development programmes by providing high-resolution stage-by-stage satellite imagery of the progress made in different development works on the ground, according to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The satellite will be launched this year in April.
The satellite, a sequel to Resourcesat-1, will be the first multi-resolution imaging satellite to be launched by India with its image resolution capability varying from 5.5 m to 5.8 m. “Resourcesat-2, which is equipped with an advanced wide field sensor (AWiFS), will conduct a terrain mapping once in every five days,” said PG Diwakar, associate director of Earth Observation Systems-ISRO. “The spatial resolution of the AWiFS sensor is around 55 m. The satellite is also equipped with LISS-3 and LISS-4 sensors of the resolution 28 m and 5.8 m,” Diwakar added.
The programme will help experts and governments in improving the efficiency of the rural development programmes. “A high resolution stage-by-stage satellite imagery of a terrain undergoing watershed development will show the programmes’ efficiency thereby helping improve our interventions,” said Prof S Sanjeevi, from the department of geology at Anna University.
ISRO officials say data from it, which will be made available on Bhuvan — ISRO’s geoportal, will be a boon to non-profit organisations undertaking resource conservation activities in rural areas. “NGOs struggle to obtain spatial data. Now, Bhuvan will help all nonprofits and citizens to access remote sensing and terrain mapping data for programmes like groundwater conservation, biodiversity mapping and watershed development programmes,” continued Diwakar.
ISRO has the technology to carry out mapping to a resolution of 0.8 m, close to Google Earth’s maximum resolution of 0.6 m.
Source: expressbuzz.com
