RISAT-2

RISAT-2 was a 300 kg Indian radar imaging satellite that could see the ground through cloud and at night. Launched in April 2009 and designed for four years, it worked for 13 and re-entered over the Indian Ocean in October 2022.

Re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 30 October 2022, according to the public satellite catalogue.

What it did

RISAT-2 carried an X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Radar sends its own signal and times the echo, so it works in darkness and through clouds. ISRO says it boosted India's ability to respond to disasters.

The radar was bought from Israel, based on the TECSAR satellite, and mounted on an Indian satellite bus, because India's own RISAT-1 was delayed.

Launch

PSLV-C12 launched RISAT-2 from Sriharikota on 20 April 2009, with the student satellite ANUSAT. The orbit was 400 km by 550 km, tilted 41 degrees.

Fate

RISAT-2 carried 30 kg of fuel for a four-year design life, but careful use of that fuel kept it working for 13 years.

It made an uncontrolled re-entry on 30 October 2022 at 00:06 UTC, give or take 10 minutes, over the Indian Ocean near Jakarta. No fuel was left on board, and ISRO's studies showed no pieces would survive to the surface. ISRO tracked its last month with the Multi Object Tracking Radar at Sriharikota.

Sources

  1. RISAT 2 — satellite catalogue record (NORAD 34807) — CelesTrak
  2. RISAT-2 — ISRO
  3. PSLV-C12 / RISAT-2 — ISRO
  4. Atmospheric Re-entry of RISAT-2 — ISRO
  5. RISAT 2 — Gunter's Space Page — Gunter's Space Page