The Hindu : Oceansat 2 will be ready in two years

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 11, 2003

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Oceansat 2 will be ready in two years

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI DEC. 10. Oceansat 2, an advanced satellite mission, will be ready in two years for deeper exploration of the Indian seas, the space scientist and Rajya Sabha member, K. Kasturirangan, said here today.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was designing the satellite-based ocean observation mission to continue the research activities of the earlier venture, Oceansat 1.

Oceansat 2 would have next-generation systems to study surface winds and ocean surface strata, and would mean a continuation of the observation systems used in the first venture, such as the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM), useful for identifying potential areas for fishery.

Addressing an international conference on `Coastal and Ocean Technology', Dr. Kasturirangan described how India was using its satellite programme to explore its oceans and adding to a global understanding of the seas.

``Data from satellite missions are extensively used for creating base-line data on coastal habitats, erosional and depositional areas. The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites have played a vital role in providing data on coastal geomorphology and mapping of coastal land use. These were used to classify the coastal regulation zones (CRZ) as a first step towards coastal zone management.''

India was a key component of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership (IGOS-P), which had a committee of 40 countries that use satellites extensively. The partnership was aimed at sharing information, and analysing and identifying gaps in data.

Dr. Kasturirangan also said work on a third coastal research vessel, Sagar Nidhi, would start in January. The Department of Ocean Development (DOD) already has two vessels, m.v. Sagar Purvi and Sagar Paschimi, and will soon add a Buoy Tender-cum-Research vessel.

The DOD had allotted Rs.180 crores for acquiring the two new vessels, said M. Ravindran, Director, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).

Harsh K. Gupta, Secretary, DOD, said the Sagar Nidhi would have a platform large enough to deploy heavy equipment in the ocean. It would be a great support to the country's ocean research programme.

The NIOT, which organised the conference, presented lifetime achievement awards to the ocean scientists, S. Paramanandhan and D. Srinivasan.

It also honoured the former DOD secretaries, S.Z. Qasim, V.K. Gaur, P. Rama Rao and A.E. Muthunayagam, and the former director of the IIT-Madras, N.V.C. Swamy, who was the first co-chairman of the NIOT's governing council.

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