ISRO's Cartosat-2 Satellite Successful De-Orbiting

Space News ,India :- ISRO launched Cartosat-2, their first advanced imaging satellite, on January 10, 2007. This satellite, weighing 680 kg, orbited at 635 km above Earth and provided detailed pictures for urban planning until 2019.

Originally, Cartosat-2 was expected to orbit for about 30 years. However, to follow international guidelines on space debris, ISRO decided to use leftover fuel to lower its orbit. This action reduced the risk of collisions and ensured a safe end-of-life disposal, following recommendations from organizations like the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPOUS) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC).

ISRO's System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations (IS4OM) team predicted Cartosat-2's atmospheric re-entry for February 14, 2024. On this day, electrical passivation was successfully completed, and tracking confirmed that the satellite reached an altitude of about 130 km.

The Multi-object tracking radar at Shriharikota was used to track Cartosat-2 during its atmospheric re-entry over the Indian Ocean at 10:18 UTC / 3:48 pm IST on February 14, 2024. Analysis indicated that all major spacecraft components would disintegrate during this process.

Cartosat-2's successful de-orbiting marks a significant achievement for ISRO in ensuring the long-term sustainability of activities in outer space.