The Hindu : National : ISRO, French space agency ink pact

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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ISRO, French space agency ink pact

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Space Agency Centre, National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), have recently signed an agreement on the policy for distribution of data received from Megha Tropiques, an Indo-French collaborative satellite for tropical weather monitoring scheduled for launch during 2009.

This policy enables the global scientific community to have free access to the satellite data for weather and climate change studies. Megha Tropiques carries four payloads — a microwave radiometer, a humidity sounder, a radiation measuring instrument and a radio occultation sounder for atmospheric studies.

This data is expected to enhance understanding of the tropical weather phenomena including the monsoon.

Small satellite mission

The meeting, held on July 5 and 6, also reviewed the status of SARAL, a small satellite mission with payloads from CNES to study the ocean. The satellite carries a Ka band altimeter and a payload for reception of ARGO floats deployed all over the world oceans.

Support in studies

The altimeter data will provide support in coastal environment studies and tsunami-preparedness.

Scientists from ISRO and CNES also exchanged ideas for cooperation in conceiving space-based systems and methodologies, to understand tropical weather and climate better.

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