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
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Indian banks recovered over Rs 14k cr, twice he owed, claims Vijay Mallya
New Delhi, Apr 07 (PTI): Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya has claimed that Indian banks have got access to his properties worth Rs 14,131.6 crore, more than twice the amount that he owed to public sector banks.
Mallya cited purported reference to the details of restoration done by the Enforcement Directorate against wilful defaulters in the Finance Ministry's annual report 2024-25 to say that banks have already recovered Rs 14,131.8 crore against Rs 6,203 crore awarded by the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
"Finally, against aT judgment debt of Rs 6,203 crore, admitted recovery of Rs 14,131.8 crore, which will be evidence in my UK bankruptcy annulment application. Wonder what banks will say in an English Court," Mallya said in a post on X.
Sharing details of fugitive economic offenders, including Mallya and 10 others, the report said a total of 44 extradition requests have been sent to various countries in respect of 36 individuals.
As per the annual report of the ministry, a complete amount of attached properties worth Rs 14,131.6 crore has been successfully restored to the Public Sector Banks in the case of Vijay Mallaya.
The efforts of the ED have resulted in successful representation before Competent Court abroad in the extradition of various fugitive economic offenders and other accused, the report said.
"In this regard, it is pertinent to mention that the UK Court has approved extradition of few high profile accused persons to India following effective representation of the Directorate in coordination with other LEAs (law enforcement agencies) and Indian mission abroad," it said.
TheT bench of Bengaluru in 2017 had ordered the SBI-led consortium of banks to start the process of recovering Rs 6,203 crore, at an annual interest rate of 11.5 per cent, from embattled Mallya and his companies in the Kingfisher Airlines case.
Mallya, who fled to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India over a default of Rs 9,000 crore that was loaned to esrtwhile Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) by several banks.
India has been seeking Mallya's extradition from the UK. He had in the past offered to repay 100 per cent of "public money" but accused the banks and government of refusing his offer.
In February, a London Court heard a set of complicated arguments involving a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India seeking repayment of an estimated judgment debt of around GBP 1.05 billion owed by the 69-year-old businessman's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
