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India's space agency has fixed Sept. 12 as tentative date for the launch of "METSAT," the country's first satellite exclusively for meteorological services.
It will be launched on board a modified polar synchronous satellite launch vehicle from Prof. Satish Dhawan Space Center located at Sriharikota Island in south India, the main launch center of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
"We have fixed Sept. 12 for the launch of METSAT, a geostationary satellite," ISRO officials said Friday.
METSAT will support the Indian Meteorological Department by providing meteorological services, including cyclone warning dissemination services, meteorological data collection and weather imagery on a continuous basis.
METSAT's launch is considered to be ISRO's first step toward cost-cutting strategy of launching lightweight satellites carrying single payloads on board India's own launch vehicles.
( September 7, 2002)
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