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- ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its 47th mission (PSLV-C45) has launched EMISAT, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in coastal Andhra Pradesh. EMISAT is India’s first electronic surveillance satellite.
- EMISAT is a satellite built around ISRO’s Mini Satellite-2 bus weighing about 436 kg. It has been jointly developed by ISRO and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). It has been developed under DRDO’s Project Kautilya which aims to boost India’s space surveillance capacity.
- The satellite is intended for electromagnetic spectrum measurement. It will provide location and information of hostile radars and sensors deployed along the Indian borders. It will also help in knowing exact topography of enemy areas and detect communication devices active in an area.
- Space-based electronic intelligence or ELINT from the EMISAT is an addition to India’s current land or aircraft-based ELINT, and will help India’s intelligence agencies better monitor hostile activities in border areas.
- The PSLV-C45 mission has marked several “firsts” for ISRO. For the first time, ISRO has placed the satellites and payloads in three different orbits. A new variant of the rocket, PSLV-QL, with four strap-on boosters has been used for the launch for the first time. It is also the first time PSLV fourth stage (PS4) used solar panels to support payloads hosted on it.
