Q. In which of the following activities are Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites used?

Assessment of crop productivity
Locating groundwater resources
Mineral exploration
Telecommunications
Traffic studies

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1, 2 and 3 only
4 and 5 only
1 and 2 only
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

IRS Satellite System

Indian Remote sensing satellites are spacecraft outfitted with sensors that can capture images and data from space of the Earth.
These sensors are capable of detecting different types of radiation emitted or reflected from the earth’s surface.
Remote sensing satellites are used for a variety of purposes, including weather monitoring, natural disaster monitoring, agriculture, forestry, and other land-based activities.
The launch of India’s first civilian IRS-1A spacecraft in March 1988 marked the start of a successful journey for the Indian Space Programme.
The National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) governs Indian Earth Observation activities.
The Indian Earth Observation (EO) system has been providing operational services to the user community with a slew of payloads in the thematic series of Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) and the INSAT systems.
The Indian Remote Sensing Satellite System operates one of the world’s largest constellations of remote sensing satellites.
IRS satellites provide data at various spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions.
The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) serves as the hub for the distribution of remote sensing satellite data products in India and neighbouring countries.
NRSC has an earth station in Shadnagar, about 55 kilometres from Hyderabad, that receives data from nearly all modern remote sensing satellites.
Applications of IRS
- Applications in Agriculture and Soil
  - Cropping pattern mapping;
  - Pre- harvest crop area, production and yield estimation;
  - Condition assessment;
  - Monitoring command areas;
  - Compliance monitoring (farming practices) e.g. crop stubble burning;
  - Identification of suitable sites for different agricultural practices;
  - Mapping of soil characteristics;
  - Mapping of soil management practices;
  - Mapping of saline soils and monitoring of land reclamation;
  - Inventorying and categorization of wastelands; and
  - Identification of fishery prospects.
- Applications in Bio-resources and Environment
  - Mapping of forest cover, types, density and species inventory;
  - Measurement of biophysical conditions of forest strands;
  - Social forestry and agroforestry mapping;
  - Biomass estimation;
  - Afforestation and deforestation assessment;
  - Forest fire surveillance;
  - Forest health and vigor monitoring;
  - Detailed survey and inventory of the existing bio-resources;
  - Environmental impact assessment including pollution (land, water and air);
  - Mapping and monitoring of tiger reserves, elephant corridors, biosphere reserves, mangroves and coral reefs;
  - Assessment of fuel wood and timber resources; and
  - Environmental hazard related studies like zonation and damage assessment (floods, drought, cyclone, landslide, volcano, earthquake etc.)
- Applications in Geology and Mineral Resources
  - Mapping of surfacial deposits and bedrock;
  - Lithological and structural mapping;
  - Mineral prospecting and exploration; and
  - Geo – hazard mapping, monitoring and zonation.
- Applications in Oceanography
  - Identification of potential fishery zones;
  - Phytoplankton abundance and habitat assessment;
  - Observation of marine pollution and sedimentation and its impact; and
  - Assessment of sediment dynamics, tidal fluctuations, sea level changes and coastal circulations.
- Applications in Water Resources
  - Mapping of surface water bodies;
  - Identification of potential ground water resources;
  - Wetland mapping and monitoring;
  - Snow pack and glacial monitoring;
  - Ice thickness measurements;
  - Rivers, watersheds and ice lake monitoring and modelling;
  - Flood mapping and monitoring;
  - Monitoring reservoir extends over seasons and irrigation scheduling and flood management; and
  - Snowmelt runoff forecasting.
- Applications in Urban Sector
  - Mapping and Land Use Land Cover classification;
  - Urban sprawl analysis;
  - Identification of illegal encroachment, and constructions;
  - Property tax assessment and estimations;
  - Transport and urban planning;
  - Mapping of utilities and services;
  - Population estimation;
  - Slum detection and monitoring; and
  - Site suitability analysis.
- Applications in Cartography
  - Mapping is an essential component of the resource management process, and mapped information is a common byproduct of the analysis of remotely sensed data from IRS series satellites.
  - The Cartosat series is designed specifically for geoengineering mapping and DTM (Digital Terrain Modelling) or DEM (Digital Elevation Modelling).
  - Natural and man-made features such as transportation networks, settlements, and administrative boundaries are represented spatially in GIS (Geographical Information System) using geo-referenced data and integrated with attribute or non-spatial information.
  - For planning, evaluation, and monitoring, as well as civilian and military reconnaissance and land use planning, baseline, thematic, and 2D and 3D topographical maps are required.
Advantages of Remote Sensing Satellites
- The advantages of satellite-based remote sensing over other techniques include its broad coverage, time savings, and tremendous cost effectiveness.
- Large area coverage allows for a regional survey of a wide range of themes and the identification of large features.
- Coverage that is repeated, allowing monitoring of dynamic themes such as water, agriculture, and so on.
- Data collection at various heights.
- Data collection in inaccessible areas.