Technical snag forces ISRO to postpone launch of GISAT-1

Owing to technical reasons, the launch of India's first Geo Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1) scheduled for March 5 evening has been postponed, the Indian space agency announced on Wednesday.

"The launch of GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10), planned for March 05, 2020, is postponed due to technical reasons. Revised launch date will be informed in due course," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

Earlier a senior official had said the countdown for the Thursday satellite launch would begin at 3.43 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Indian space agency said GISAT-1 would provide real time image of large area of region of interest at frequent intervals. It will also enable quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events and any short term events.

The 2,268 kg GISAT-1 will also provide spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow, glaciers and oceanography.

The satellite will have payload imaging sensors of six band multi-spectral visible and near infra-red with 42 metres resolution; 158 bands hyper-spectral visible and near infra-red with 318 metres resolution and 256 bands hyper-spectral short wave infra-red with 191 metres resolution. IANS