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IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1)

The IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1), initially scheduled for launch in late 1999 using PSLV-C3, will be India's first high-resolution earth resources and imagery intelligence satellite system. With a PAN camera featuring a ground sample distance of 2.5 meters and Fore-Aft stereo capability, CARTOSAT-1 will provide a significant improvement in ground resolution, at the expense of multispectral capability and smaller area coverage, with a swath width variously reported as either 10 or 30 kilometers. The 2.5 m resolution will cater cartographers and terrain modelling applications, providing cadastral level information up to 1:5000 scale for thematic applications, useful for making 2-5 m contour maps. The follow-on CARTOSAT-2 planned for launch in 2002 will offer imagery with resolution of less than one meter, again with a swath width of 10 kilometers.

The cabinet on 25 June 1997 approved of proposals for two new remote sensing satellites to be built by ISRO at Rs 390.07 crore. At a meeting, presided over by the prime minister, the cabinet approved the proposal to build an Indian Remote Sensing Satellite-Cartosat-1-at a cost of Rs 248.49 crore.

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