[Satellite TODAY 12-29-10] The Indian National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) plans to launch 30 remote sensing satellites in the next 10 years, according to plans announced Dec. 28.
    NRSC officials said that the Resourcesat-2 satellite, which will replace the seven-year-old Resourcesat-1 to obtain high-resolution multi-spectral data, would launch by the end of January 2011.
    In a statement, NRSC spokesman V. Jayaraman said the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), would have an integrated multi-mission ground station in place by June to receive all the satellite data. “This will help the center to supply 1,000 products to the users directly.”
    Jayaraman said Indian space agencies are undaunted by the failed GSLV launch of the GSAT-D4 satellite on Christmas, which aimed to place an advanced communication satellite into orbit. It was the second GSLV failure this year, after an unsuccessful mission to launch GSAT-D3 in April.
    “Though anguished over the failure, it will not be a setback to future space programs. Indian scientists are examining the data to pinpoint the exact cause for the GSLV to explode within a minute of launch,” Jayaraman said.