Microsat-R

Microsat-R

Microsat-R

India earth-observing satellite

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]

Quick Facts Mission type, Operator ...

Launch

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]

Anti-satellite test

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.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "ISRO's first mission of 2019 to put military satellite Microsat-R in space". thehindu. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  2. [2]
    "ST/SG/SER.E/891 - Registration information from India on space objects launched in 2019". www.unoosa.org. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  3. [3]
    "PSLV-C44, carrying India's experimental satellite Microsat-R and students' payload Kalamsat, lifts off". livemint.com. January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Mission Shakti Ebook (Anti-Satellite Missile)" (PDF). 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  5. [5]
    "PSLV-C44 / Microsat-R & Kalamsat-V2 Mission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. [6]
    "PSLV-C44 carrying India's military satellite Microsat-R, students' payload Kalamsat, launched". India Today. January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  7. [7]
    "PSLV-C44 successfully launched Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 - ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  8. [8]
    Tejonmayam, U (January 25, 2019). "Isro's PSLV C-44 successfully places military satellite Microsat-R". Times of India. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  9. [9]
    "Onmanorama Exclusive | DRDO's top secret A-SAT mission codenamed 'Project XSV-1'". OnManorama. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  10. [10]
    "Explained Mission Shakti | What is A-SAT and how it hit Microsat-R in 168 secs". OnManorama. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  11. [11]
    Foust, Jeff (27 March 2019). "India Tests Anti-Satellite Weapon". Space.com.
  12. [12]
    "NASA: Debris From India's Anti-Satellite Test Raised Threat To Space Station". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  13. [13]
    "NASA's Orbital Debris Quarterly News Volume 23, Issue 3" (PDF). 2 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  14. [14]
    "India says space debris from anti-satellite test to 'vanish' in 45..." Reuters. 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  15. [15]
    "SOLAR MINIMUM IS A TERRIBLE TIME TO BLOW UP A SATELLITE". spaceweather.com. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
  16. [16]
    "Indian ASAT Forensics - April 9, 2019 Update".
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