Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1), a low Earth satellite weighing about 1000 kg was launched on October 12, 2011 as a joint satellite of ISRO and French space agency CNES for tropical weather and climate research.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is gearing up for a challenging test of controlled re-entry of a decommissioned orbiting satellite on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
An uninhabited area between 5°S to 14°S latitude and 119°W to 100°W longitude in the Pacific Ocean has been identified as a target re-entry zone.
Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1), a low Earth satellite weighing around 1000 kg was launched on October 12, 2011 as a joint satellite initiative of ISRO and French space agency CNES for tropical weather and climate research.
“As a responsible space agency committed to safe and sustainable operations in outer space, ISRO actively undertakes efforts for better compliance with UN/IADC space debris mitigation guidelines for post-mission disposal of LEO objects”, ISRO said.
Controlled re-entries involve deorbiting the satellites to a very low altitude to ensure impact is seen within a targeted area. Generally, large satellites or rocket bodies are designed to undergo controlled re-entry to limit the risk of ground accidents whereas all such satellites are designed for controlled re-entry at EOL.
ISRO added that MT1’s re-entry test was taken up as part of the ongoing effort as this satellite with sufficient left-over fuel presented a unique opportunity to test relevant procedures.
-with input from PTI
First Published: March 6, 2023 12:45 PM IST
