IRS P4 (Oceansat 1)

IRS P4 (Oceansat 1) [ISRO]

IRS-P4  (Indian Remote Sensing Satellite) or OCEANSAT is the first indian satellite primarily built for Ocean applications.

Launched by ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from SHAR Centre, Sriharikota,

The 1036 kg satellite was placed in a Polar sunsynchronous orbit of 720 km height. IRS-P4 will carry on board an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multifrequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR).

OCM is a solid state camera operating in eight narrow spectral bands. The camera is used to collect data on chlorophyll concentration, detect and monitor phytoplankton blooms and obtain data on atmospheric aerosols and suspended sediments in the water. MSMR, which operates in four microwave frequencies both in vertical and horizontal polarisation is used to collect data on sea surface temperature, wind speed, cloud water content and water vapour content in the atmosphere above the ocean.