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India earth-observing satellite From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Microsat-R was claimed to be an experimental imaging satellite manufactured by DRDO[2][1] and launched by Indian Space Research Organisation on 24 January 2019 for military use.[3] The satellite served as a target for an anti-satellite test on 27 March, 2019.[4][5]
Microsat-R in satellite preparation facility. | |
| Mission type | ASAT target (supposedly Earth Observation) |
|---|---|
| Operator | DRDO (India)[1] |
| COSPAR ID | 2019-006A |
| SATCAT no. | 43947 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | DRDO[1] |
| Launch mass | 740 kilograms (1,630 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 January 2019 |
| Rocket | PSLV-C44 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota) |
| Contractor | Indian Space Research Organization |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Destroyed in Orbit by ASAT |
| Destroyed | 27 March 2019 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | SSO at 274 km altitude |
Microsat-R, along with KalamsatV2 as piggy-back, was launched on 24 January 2019[6] at 23:37 hrs from First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The launch marks the 46th flight of PSLV.[7] After 13 minutes 26 seconds in flight, Microsat-R was injected at targeted altitude of about 277.2 km. This was the first flight of a new variant of PSLV called PSLV-DL with two strap-ons, each carrying 12.2-tonne of solid propellant.[8]
Microsat-R served as target for Indian ASAT experiment on March 27, 2019.[9][10][11] The impact generated more than 400 pieces of orbital debris with 24 having apogee higher than ISS orbit.[12][13] According to initial assessment by DRDO some of the debris (depending on size and trajectory) should re-enter in 45 days.[14] A spokesperson from NASA disagreed, saying the debris could last for years because the solar minimum had contracted the atmosphere that would otherwise cause the debris to reenter.[15] Analysis from a leading space trajectory and environment simulation company AGI has also came to same conclusion that few debris fragments will take more than a year to come down and other debris fragments might pose a risk to other satellites and ISS and these results were also presented in the 35th Space Symposium at Colorado Springs.[16]
As of March 2022, only one catalogued piece of debris from Microsat-R remained in orbit: COSPAR 2019-006DE, SATCAT 44383. This final piece decayed from orbit 14 June 2022.
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