Cyclone Vardah: Isro satellites saved 10,000 lives in Tamil Nadu

[anant_s]

Cyclone Vardah: Isro satellites saved 10,000 lives in Tamil Nadu

MUMBAI: Two Isro satellites played a key role in saving a large number of lives mainly in Tamil Nadu when Cyclone Vardah unleashed its fury on Monday.

Highlights

• An Isro official said that data from the two satellites — Insat 3DR and ScatSat-1 — helped predict the cyclone's movement.
• With the help of Data provided by Insat-3DR and ScatSat-1, more than 10,000 people were rescued in Chennai, Thiravallur and Kancheepuram districts.

An Isro official told TOI that data from the two satellites -— Insat 3DR and ScatSat-1- — helped predict the cyclone's movement, enabling authorities to alert the public.

On account of the data provided by Insat-3DR and ScatSat-1, more than 10,000 people were rescued in Chennai, Thiravallur and Kancheepuram districts.

"There could be more along the coast of Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Rescue operations were executed by the National Disaster Response Force.

Insat-3DR is an advanced meteorological satellite configured with an imaging system and an atmospheric sounder. It was launched on September 8 by the three-stage Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
ScatSat-1, launched by the fourstage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on September 26, provides wind vector data products for weather forecasting and cyclone tracking.

Though the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota experienced strong winds and heavy rains, there was no major damage to any of the facilities. Isro officials said this was due to precautions taken by spaceport officials.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-lives-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/55992320.cms
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About Satellites


INSAT-3DR
INSAT-3DR similar to INSAT-3D, is an advanced meteorological satellite of India configured with an imaging System and an Atmospheric Sounder. The significant improvements incorporated in INSAT-3DR are:

• Imaging in Middle Infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog
• Imaging in two Thermal Infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with better accuracy
• Higher Spatial Resolution in the Visible and Thermal Infrared bands

And, like its predecessor INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR carries a Data Relay Transponder as well as a Search and Rescue Transponder. Thus, INSAT-3DR will provide service continuity to earlier meteorological missions of ISRO and further augment the capability to provide various meteorological as well as search and rescue services.

INSAT-3DR has a lift-off mass of 2211 kg, which includes about 1255 kg of propellant. The propellant carried by INSAT-3DR is mainly required to raise the satellite from the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) to its final Geostationary Orbit and to maintain the satellite in its orbital slot during its life. The satellite has a solar array generating 1700 Watts of power.



Payloads of INSAT-3DR:

INSAT-3DR carries a multi spectral Imager, 19 channel Sounder, Data Relay Transponder and Search and Rescue Transponder.

Launch Mass:
2211 kg
Launch Vehicle:
GSLV-F05 / INSAT-3DR
Type of Satellite:
Earth Observation
Manufacturer:
ISRO
Owner:
ISRO
Application:
Climate & Environment
Disaster Management System
Orbit Type:
GSO

SCATSAT-1
SCATSAT-1 is a continuity mission for Oceansat-2 Scatterometer to provide wind vector data products for weather forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking services to the users. The satellite carries Ku-band Scatterometer similar to the one flown onboard Oceansat-2. The spacecraft is built around standard IMS-2 Bus and the mass of the spacecraft is 371 kg. The spacecraft will be put in SSP orbit of 720 km altitude with an inclination of 98.1 deg by PSLV-C35. The mission life of the satellite is 5 years.

The SCATSAT-1 was launched by PSLV-C35 on Monday morning at 9:12 hrs (IST) on September 26, 2016 from the First Launch Pad of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Launch Mass:
371 kg
Launch Vehicle:
PSLV-C35 / SCATSAT-1
Type of Satellite:
Earth Observation
Manufacturer:
ISRO
Owner:
ISRO
Application:
Climate & Environment
Orbit Type:
SSPO

 

[K210]

It is articles like these that people who say investing in space technology is a waste should read

 

[bloo]

But but, what about poverty, poor people are more important than satellites.
India succeeding in space tech is wrong for everyone.........

 

[manojb]

This is good. Next step is to install ground based dopler radar

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

I dont know if you guys saw whatsapp videos. Bus and cars getting toppled. 140kmhr winds. Though life loss is less, lots of physical damage was done to infrastructure. Thanks to ISRO. Another reminder how nature fury can impact lives.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Not the first time

http://www.isro.gov.in/update/07-de...pace-systems-disaster-warnings-and-mitigation

Dec 07, 1999
Orissa Cyclone -- Role of Space Systems in Disaster Warnings and Mitigation
Use of INSAT

The "Super-cyclone" that hit the Orissa coast on Saturday, October 29, 1999 was tracked by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) through INSAT-1D Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) imagery and INSAT-2E Charged Coupled Device (CCD) Cameras continuously every half an hour from October 26, 1999. Periodic warnings were issued to the Civil Administration (Collectors) of the areas that were likely to be affected by the cyclone through the INSAT Cyclone Warning Dissemination System (CWDS) receivers. 34 such CWDS receivers are deployed in the Orissa state. 28 were working when the cyclone warnings were issued. These warnings were available to the civil administrators till the cyclone hit the coast. These CWDS receivers operate through S-band transponders of INSAT-2B satellite and are capable of being selectively addressed.

Normally, these receivers are kept with the Civil Administration (in Collectors' office) in the Districts that are prone to cyclones. Cyclone warnings through the CWDS receivers consist of a siren which can be heard by the District Collector/BDO/Tahsildar/State Functionary. This siren is followed by a verbal message in the State language of the district. These sirens and warning signals are not intended to be heard directly by the common man. The Civil Administration is expected to act on these hourly warnings for initiating necessary machinery for disaster mitigation. It may be noted that 250 such receivers have been deployed along the East and West Coast of India in 9 States.

Within two days after the cyclone hit the Orissa coast, three INSAT portable mobile telephony terminals were handed over to the Civil Administration in Bhubaneswar for relief work. These terminals work with the INSAT-2C Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) transponders. Within 3 to 4 days, five Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) were airlifted from Delhi and a network of five VSATs was established. HCL Comnet and Essel Shyam supplied the VSATs. At present, VSATs are located at Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi; Secretariat, Bhubaneswar-1; Secretariat, Bhubaneswar-2; District HQ Collector Offices in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada; and in Paradeep, Erassama and Balikuda. It helped in establishing contact between the Relief Commissioner at Delhi and the Orissa Secretariat via VSAT network, operating through the INSAT-2C Extended C band transponders. This network of VSATs has now been extended to 13 places.

Use of Remote Sensing Data

Immediately after the super cyclone hit the Orissa coast and the following days, maps showing flood inundated areas were prepared using the data from Indian Remote Sensing satellites and the microwave data from the Canadian RADARSAT. As the affected areas were clouded making it difficult for using optical remote sensing data that is provided by Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS), the microwave data from RADARSAT were also procured to complement IRS data. The pre-cyclone IRS-1C/1D LISS III and PAN data of early November 1999 was used as a reference and compared with post-cyclone IRS/RADARSAT data to work out the inundated areas. The inundated areas were shown in the backdrop of the topographic details and the settlements. The continued monitoring of Orissa using RADARSAT and IRS satellites on 2nd and 4th, and using data from IRS satellites on 8th,11th,13th, and 14th November 1999 enabled mapping successively the receding of the floods.
The maps generated at National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, using the data from the satellites were rushed to Bhuvaneswar within 24 hours of data acquisition and provided to various officials (list enclosed in annexure) for using them for relief and rescue operations. The maps were used by Indian Air Force and the Indian Army who were in-charge of air dropping of food and other essential materials. Maps were also given to officers in charge of health services (Central team from Anti- Malaria Research Institute, ICMR), mobilization of food and other essential goods to the affected areas, as well as, to the senior officials responsible for coordinating these activities. A copy of the map was also given to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa (India Today dated November 22, 1999 carries on its front cover a photograph of the former CM of Orissa holding one such map).

The officials of the State Government as well as those of Government of India involved in the rescue operations found these maps derived from satellite imageries very useful.

In a nutshell, the INSAT system including INSAT-1D, INSAT-2B, INSAT-2C and INSAT-2E, and the Indian Remote Sensing satellites system including, IRS-1B, IRS-1C and IRS-1D, played a key role during both the pre-cyclone forecasting and warning and post-cyclone disaster mitigation operations. It is also borne from the above, the important role the integrated satellite system combining the communication, broadcasting, meteorological and remote sensing capabilities, could play in the overall disaster management complementing appropriate ground support system for a quick disaster response. Department of Space, in its modest way, will contribute to further upgrading its services by installing improved cyclone warning disaster systems, providing inputs for better meteorological modeling, upgrading communication network essential during such cyclones and establishing digital spatial database for the cyclone prone areas for necessary decision support.

 

[egodoc222]

Even during hud hud cyclone that crippled vizag's infrastructure with winds over 220 kmph....isros satellites played important role in minimising casualties!!

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Even during hud hud cyclone that crippled vizag's infrastructure with winds over 220 kmph....isros satellites played important role in minimising casualties!!

That was 220 kmph? Man. For 140 kmph itself Chennai was crippled with bus and cars getting toppled. I know Orissa govt did an commendable job in moving people and with very very low casualty.

 

[egodoc222]

That was 220 kmph? Man. For 140 kmph itself Chennai was crippled with bus and cars getting toppled. I know Orissa govt did an commendable job in moving people and with very very low casualty.

Yeah man....nearly 10000 trees uprooted and 60000 electrical poles fell....power system was crippled.....but with cbn.....everything came to normal in 15 days....
Now vizag is in top 5 cleanest cities in India and uses 100 % led street lighting,first in the country!!