| IRS-P3 | |
| Names List: | Indian Remote Sensing satellite-P3 |
| Mission Type: | Earth observation |
| Operator: | ISRO |
| Cospar Id: | 1996-017A |
| Satcat: | 23827 |
| Website: | https://www.isro.gov.in/ |
| Mission Duration: | 3 years (planned) 8.5 years (achieved) |
| Spacecraft: | IRS-P3 |
| Spacecraft Bus: | IRS-1A |
| Manufacturer: | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Dimensions: | 1.56 m x 1.66 m x 1.10 m |
| Power: | 873 watts |
| Launch Date: | 21 March 1996, 04:53 UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-D3 |
| Launch Site: | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, first launch pad |
| Launch Contractor: | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Entered Service: | June 1996 |
| Deactivated: | 15 October 2004 |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric orbit |
| Orbit Regime: | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Orbit Inclination: | 98.69° |
| Orbit Period: | 101.4 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Instruments: | Multispectral Opto-electronic Scanner (MOS) Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment (IXAE) Wide-Field Sensor (WiFS) |
| Programme: | Earth observation satellites series |
| Previous Mission: | IRS-1C |
| Next Mission: | IRS-1D |
IRS-P3 was a remote sensing satellite launched by ISRO on board of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launch vehicle for remote sensing of Earth's natural resources. It also hosted a scientific instrument, the Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment (IXAE), for the study of X-ray astronomy. The IRS-P3 satellite contained an X-ray astronomy instrument, a C-band transponder and two remote sensing instruments.
IRS-P3 was one of the satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing Programme of Earth observation satellites, assembled, launched and maintained by Indian Space Research Organisation. There was no data recording device on board of the IRS-P3 and data was transmitted in real-time to the ground stationd in Hyderabad, India and Neustrelitz, Germany.[1]
IRS-P3 carried two remote sensing instruments and one X-ray astronomy experiment:
IRS-P3 was launched by the PSLV-D3 launch vehicle on 21 March 1996, at 04:53 UTC, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India. Periodic calibration of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle tracking radar was located at tracking stations.
The mission was completed on 15 October 2004 after serving for 8.5 years.[4] With the consecutive successful launches of the PSLV, it was decided not to plan any more Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) missions.[5]