Following the recent success of its 100th mission, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has started preparing ground for the launch of Indo-French satellite, SARAL, onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-20 (PSLV C-20) from Sriharikota, 90 km from here, on December 12.
SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika) is a cooperative altimetry (measurement of altitude) technology mission of ISRO and CNES (France’s Space Agency).
The two space agencies had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the mission on February 23, 2007.
ISRO sources said the SARAL spacecraft will ferry two satellites - ARgros and ALtika - meant for the study of ocean parameters.
ARgros is expected to cover localization, acquisition and distribution of environmental data, while Kaband (a satellite technology) ALtika satellite will be dedicated to the measurement of ocean’s surface topography.
ISRO built the satellite with payload modules, ARGOS- 3 and data collection system provided by CNES.