Article Posted on : - Sep 25, 2009

PSLV C-14 takes off with Oceansat-2 and six nano satellites from Satish Dhavan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Image credit: PTI

PANAJI (PTI): Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has said that Oceansat-2 satellite would provide versatile sea data boosting ocean research segment in the country.

"With this satellite our capabilities have enhanced tremendously. We will be able to collect more versatile data," V Ramaswamy, a Geological Oceanography scientist at NIO, told PTI.

Although Oceansat-2 is a continuation of Oceansat-1, which was launched in 1999, the researcher feels that the additional capabilities to monitor temperature and surface winds in the recently launched satellite will help in predicting various phenomenons in the ocean.

"Oceansat-1 was providing data only on the ocean colour while rest of the features were not there. The recently launched satellite is equipped with two censors -- ocean colour monitor (OCM) and KU-Band pencil beam scatterometer," Ramaswamy said.

The recently injected satellite would be a major help in the study of Euphoric zone and bio-geo chemical cycles, he said adding, it would also aid the scientists in monitoring the dust storms which usually erupt from the west of Rajasthan and countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.

The data collected by this satellite would be passed on to the NIO by two agencies -- Ahmadabad-based Space Application Centre, and Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency, he added.

Oceansat-2 and six other nano satellites were yesterday put in orbit by ISRO's warhorse rocket PSLV C-15.