ISRO successfully brings down Cartosat-2 to Earth's atmosphere 17 years after its launch
Bengaluru, Feb 16: Cartosat-2, ISRO's first satellite in the second generation of high-resolution imaging satellites launched 17 years ago, has been brought down from space to the earth's atmosphere, an official of the space agency said on Friday.
"The satellite entered the earth's atmosphere at 3.48 pm IST on February 14 over the Indian ocean. Either it would have burnt out or its leftovers might have fallen in the sea, which we may not be able to find," the official said.
According to ISRO, the satellite was launched on January 10, 2007. It weighed 680 kg at launch and operated in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 635 km.
Until 2019, it provided high-resolution imagery for urban planning, ISRO said in a statement.
"Initially, Cartosat-2 was expected to take about 30 years to naturally de-orbit. However, ISRO opted to lower its perigee using leftover fuel to comply with international guidelines on space debris mitigation," it said.
"This exercise involved reducing collision risks and ensuring safe end-of-life disposal, following recommendations from organisations like the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPOUS) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)," ISRO said.
ISRO said its System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations (IS4OM) team at ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) predicted Cartosat-2's atmospheric re-entry for February 14.
"Electrical passivation was completed on February 14th, and tracking continued until re-entry. The final telemetry frames confirmed successful passivation, with the satellite reaching about 130 km altitude," ISRO said.
This exercise provided an opportunity to assess indigenous tracking capabilities, with the multi-object tracking radar at the spaceport of Sriharikota utilised for tracking.
"The final prediction placed Cartosat-2's re-entry over the Indian Ocean at 10:18 UTC / 3:48 pm IST on February 14, 2024. Analysis indicated that all major spacecraft components would demise (sic) during atmospheric re-entry," ISRO said.
According to the space agency, Cartosat-2's successful de-orbiting at its end-of-life represents a significant step for ISRO in ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
Cartosat-2: Atmospheric re-entry
— ISRO (@isro) February 16, 2024
🛰️ Cartosat-2, ISRO's high-resolution imaging satellite, bid adieu with a descent into Earth's atmosphere on February 14, 2024, as predicted.
ISRO had lowered its orbit from 635 km to 380 km by early 2020.
This strategic move minimized space… pic.twitter.com/HJCWONymS9
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP: Over 100 monkeys die of toxic chemical, buried in pit to hide carnage
Hathras (UP), Nov 22: More than 100 monkeys perished after inhaling a pesticide sprayed in a food godown and were stealthily buried in a pit, police on Friday said.
The bodies were taken out for a postmortem by a team of veterinarians on Friday.
Circle Officer Yogendra Krishna Narayan said police came to know about the deaths on Wednesday.
Police have registered a case against the employees of Food Corporation of India and started an investigation.
According to police, the chemical in question was aluminium phosphide sprayed on wheat sacks to protect it from insects and rodents in an FCI warehouse on November 7.
A troop of monkeys entered the warehouse through a broken window of the godown on the night of November 7 and ended up inhaling the gas.
When the workers opened the warehouse on November 9, they saw several monkeys dead.
They allegedly chose not to inform their seniors about deaths and buried the bodies in a pit.
The CO said the bodies were exhumed when some Vishv Hindu Parishad leaders came to know about the incident.
As per police count, more than 100 monkeys were exhumed from the pit.
Their bodies were in late stage decay, the officer said.
