Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Wedesday that its launch of a new type of earth observation satellite, GISAT-1,originally scheduled for Thursday evening, has been postponed due to "technical reasons".

GISAT-1

• GISAT-1 is short for Geo-Imaging Satellite  and it is an Earth observation  Satellite.
• ISRO is preparing to launch the satellite in the first week of March.
• It will constantly look over the Indian subcontinent from a perch 36,000 km above, adding a new edge to national security, apart from routine uses of earth imaging.
• All Indian EOs have been placed so far in a 600-odd-km orbits and circle the earth pole to pole. They were launched by the smaller PSLV rocket.
•  A medium lift GSLV-MK II rocket will be carrying the spacecraft.

Objectives:

• The 2,268-kg spacecraft will provide imageries of “large areas of interest” on earth in almost real time and at frequent intervals.
• It will also be adding a new edge to national security.
• It will apparently be in a fixed spot looking over the Indian continent at all times.
• It contains multi-spectral, multi-resolution cameras, which will make us able to keep a constant watch on our borders, monitor any changes in the geographical condition of the country.
• Once GISAT-1 stabilises in its orbit and starts working over the next few weeks, it will, according to ISRO, provide “quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events and any short-term events.
• Its multi-spectral and hyperspectral payloads would help to get “spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow and glaciers and oceanography.”

Some of the important missions of ISRO, in terms of IRS series of satellites, that has enabled unique applications of space based imaging are, Cartosat-1 & 2, Resourcesat-1 & 2, Oceansat-1 & 2, Risat-1, Megha-Tropiques, SARAL, Scatsat, INSAT series, and host of other satellites.