Cartosat-2A is an Indian remote-sensing satellite with a sub-metre black-and-white camera, launched on PSLV-C9 in April 2008. ISRO counts it as the thirteenth satellite of the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) series.
Its panchromatic camera sees details finer than one metre over a strip 9.6 km wide. It takes pictures of chosen spots rather than scanning everything below.
ISRO lists its uses as mapping, planning roads and buildings in towns and villages, and land and geographic information systems.
The satellite weighed 690 kg at launch and its solar panels give 900 W. Reaction wheels and magnetic torquers keep it pointed in three axes. It was designed to work for five years.
PSLV-C9 lifted off from Sriharikota on 28 April 2008. It was PSLV's thirteenth flight and the third in the lighter "core alone" form.
The rocket carried ten satellites: Cartosat-2A, the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite IMS-1, and eight small satellites from abroad weighing about 50 kg together. All went into a sun-synchronous polar orbit about 635 km high, tilted 97.94 degrees to the equator.
The public satellite catalogue still carries Cartosat-2A with an operational flag. That flag is not confirmation from ISRO that a satellite designed for five years is still working, so treat its current status as unconfirmed.