| Oceansat-2 | |
| Names List: | OceanSat-2 |
| Mission Type: | Earth observation Oceanography |
| Operator: | ISRO |
| Cospar Id: | 2009-051A |
| Satcat: | 35931 |
| Website: | https://www.isro.gov.in/ |
| Mission Duration: | 5 years (planned) (in progress) |
| Spacecraft: | OceanSat-2 |
| Spacecraft Bus: | Oceansat-1 |
| Manufacturer: | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Dimensions: | 2.80 m x 1.98 m x 2.57 m |
| Power: | 1360 watts |
| Launch Date: | 23 September 2009, 06:21 UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, (PSLV-C14) |
| Launch Site: | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, First Launch Pad (FLP) |
| Launch Contractor: | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Entered Service: | 15 April 2010 |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric orbit[1] |
| Orbit Regime: | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Orbit Inclination: | 98.28° |
| Orbit Period: | 99.31 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Instruments: | Ocean Colour Monitor-2 (OCM-2) Radio Occultation Sounder of the Atmosphere (ROSA) OceanSat Scatterometer (OSCAT) |
| Programme: | Earth observation satellites series |
| Previous Mission: | Oceansat-1 |
| Next Mission: | Cartosat-2B |
Oceansat-2 is the second Indian satellite built primarily for ocean applications. It was a part of the Indian Remote Sensing Programme satellite series. Oceansat-2 is an Indian satellite designed to provide service continuity for operational users of the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) instrument on Oceansat-1. It will also enhance the potential of applications in other areas. The OceanSat-2 mission was approved by the government of India on 16 July 2005.[2]
The mission objectives of Oceansat-2 are to gather systematic data for oceanographic, coastal and atmospheric applications. The main objectives of OceanSat-2 are to study surface winds and ocean surface strata, observation of chlorophyll concentrations, monitoring of phytoplankton blooms, study of atmospheric aerosols and suspended sediments in the water.[3]
Oceansat-2 is second satellite in the series of Indian Remote Sensing satellites dedicated to ocean research, and will provide continuity to the applications of Oceansat-1 (launched in 1999). Oceansat-2 carried three instruments including an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM-2), similar to the device carried on Oceansat-1. Data from all instruments are made available to the global scientific community after the post-launch sensor characterization, which is expected to be completed within 6 months of the launch.
Oceansat-2 carry three instruments for ocean-related studies, namely, Ocean Colour Monitor-2 (OCM-2), an OceanSat Scatterometer by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and an instrument called ROSA (Radio Occultation Sounder of the Atmosphere) developed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The major applications of data from Oceansat-2 are the identification of potential fishing zones, sea state forecasting, coastal zone studies, and inputs for weather forecasting and climatic studies.
The scientific payload contains three instruments. Two are Indian (ISRO) and one is from the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
Oceansat-2 was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, First Launch Pad (FLP) on 23 September 2009, at 06:21 UTC using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C14). India successfully launched its 16th remote-sensing satellite Oceansat-2 and six nano European satellites in 1200 seconds. The 44.4-metre tall, 230-tonne Indian launch vehicle Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) freed itself from the launch pad at the spaceport and lifted itself up, lugging the 970-kg Oceansat-2 and the six nano satellites all together weighing 20 kg.
In copybook style, the launch vehicle first flung out Oceansat-2 at an altitude of 720 km above the Earth in a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), followed by the four nano satellites - also called Cubesats, each weighing 1 kg. The remaining two, each weighing 8 kg, were attached to the fourth stage. Of the six nano satellites, four are from Germany, one is from Switzerland and one from Turkey. The seventh is a big one, India's Oceansat-2 weighing 970 kg. Soon after the satellites were put into orbit, Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) satellite tracking centres started monitoring them. This was the 16th PSLV mission.
Oceansat-2 was successfully deployed to predict the landfall and mitigate the effects of Cyclone Phailin, in October 2013. The OceanSat Scatterometer (OSCAT) on Oceansat-2 has been dysfunctional since February 2014.[6]