Cartosat-3 (Cartographic Satellite-3)

Quick facts

Overview

Summary

Mission Capabilities

Cartosat-3 carries two optical imaging instruments: a Panchromatic (PAN) sensor and a Multispectral (MX) camera. The PAN sensor provides high-resolution black-and-white imagery for detailed observations of terrain, urban structures, and land-use change, supporting the creation of digital terrain models and studies of topography. The MX camera acquires imagery in four visible and near-infrared bands, enabling surface classification and monitoring of vegetation, water bodies, and infrastructure. The satellite’s agile steering capability allows these instruments to image targets from multiple viewing angles, enhancing mapping accuracy and enabling three-dimensional analysis.

Performance Specifications

The PAN sensor provides imagery with a spatial resolution of up to 0.25 m, while the MX camera delivers data at a 1 m resolution across four visible and near-infrared bands. Both instruments have a swath width of 16 km. The satellite platform supports agile steering, enabling fore-aft and cross-track imaging for stereo and oblique viewing, with a revisit time of approximately 1-3 days, depending on latitude and tasking. The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 509 km, an inclination of 97.5° and a period of 95 minutes.

Space and Hardware Components

The spacecraft has a launch mass of 1625 kg, a power-handling capacity of 2000W, and a design lifetime of five years. It features a new structural configuration designed to accommodate a large imaging payload and includes high-accuracy star sensors and fibre-optic gyros (FOGs) for attitude determination, together with high-torque control-moment gyros (CMGs) for rapid and precise steering. Communications subsystems operate through S-band links for telemetry, tracking, and command, and X-band for high-rate image data downlink. Ground-segment systems provide data reception, processing, product generation, dissemination, and archival, managed by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in coordination with ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) facilities.

Overview

As the latest addition to India’s Cartosat series, Cartosat-3 represents a major advancement in the country’s high-resolution Earth observation capability. Launched in November 2019 aboard PSLV-C47, which also deployed 13 rideshare nanosatellites arranged through NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), it introduces significant improvements in spatial resolution, imaging flexibility and payload design compared with earlier missions in the programme. The satellite carries a Panchromatic (PAN) sensor and a Multispectral (MX) camera that provide high-resolution imagery for cartography, urban and rural planning, infrastructure monitoring, environmental assessment and disaster management. 1) 2) 3) 4)

The spacecraft’s agile imaging performance is enabled by high-accuracy star sensors, fibre-optic gyros and high-torque control-moment gyros, which together provide the pointing precision required for rapid steering and multi-angle observations used in three-dimensional terrain mapping. Operating in a sun-synchronous orbit, Cartosat-3 offers frequent revisit opportunities to support wide-area mapping. Imagery and telemetry are relayed through ground facilities operated by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in coordination with the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC). The mission forms an important step in the ongoing development of India’s Cartosat series and its wider Earth observation programme. 5) 6) 7)

Spacecraft

The spacecraft has a launch mass of 1625 kg, a power-handling capacity of 2000W, and a design lifetime of five years. It features a new structural configuration designed to accommodate a large imaging payload and includes high-accuracy star sensors and fibre-optic gyros (FOGs) for attitude determination, together with high-torque control-moment gyros (CMGs) for rapid and precise steering. Communications subsystems operate through S-band links for telemetry, tracking, and command, and X-band for high-rate image data downlink. 3) 6)

Launch

Cartosat-3 was launched on November 27th 2019 at 03:58 UTC, aboard PSLV-C47 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota. The launch vehicle placed the satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 509 km with an inclination of 97.5°. 2) 3) 5)

Mission Status

• April 1, 2025: ISRO provided CartoSat-3 imagery following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake which struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025. Post-disaster imagery acquired on 29 March 2025 was compared to pre-event data acquired on 18 March 2025 for change analysis and assessment of damage. Significant damage to infrastructure in Mandalay city was observed, including Phayani Pagoda, Mahamuni Pagoda and Ananda Pagoda. 8)

• November 27, 2019: Cartosat-3 was successfully launched aboard PSLV-C47 and inserted into its planned Sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite began routine commissioning activities following orbital deployment.

Sensor Complement

Panchromatic (PAN) Sensor

The Panchromatic (PAN) sensor provides high-resolution black and white imagery with a spatial resolution of 0.25 m and a swath width of 16 km. It operates across a single spectral band in wavelengths 0.45- 0.9 µm and uses 12-bit radiometric resolution to capture fine detail in terrain, urban structures and transport networks. The sensor supports nadir, multi-view, stereo, and oblique imaging through the spacecraft’s rapid fore-aft and cross-track steering, enabling the generation of digital elevation models, surface models and topographic mapping products. Its optical assembly is integrated into the satellite’s high-stability payload structure to maintain image quality during manoeuvres. 3) 6) 9)  

Multispectral (MX) Camera

The Multispectral (MX) camera acquires four-band visible and near-infrared imagery at a spatial resolution of 1 m and a swath width of 16 km. It operates in the blue (0.45 – 0.52 µm), green (0.52 – 0.60 µm), red (0.62 – 0.68 µm), and near-infrared (0.77 – 0.92 µm) spectral regions, using 12-bit radiometric resolution to support accurate land-cover classification and environmental analysis. The instrument is co-aligned with the PAN sensor to support combined multispectral and panchromatic imaging products. Like the PAN sensor, it benefits from the satellite’s high-agility platform, allowing multi-angle observation. 3) 6) 10)

Ground Segment

Data from the satellite are downlinked through X-band channels for high-rate image transmission and uplinked through S-band links for telemetry, tracking, and command. Ground operations for data reception are managed by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in coordination with the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network. These facilities support the routine delivery of imagery and spacecraft health information to users across national mapping and monitoring applications. 5) 6)

References  

1) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), “Cartosat-3,” URL: https://www.isro.gov.in/Cartosat_3.html

2) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), “PSLV-C47 Mission Summary,” URL: https://www.isro.gov.in/mission_PSLV_C47.html

3) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), “PSLV-C47 / Cartosat-3 Launch Kit (CDR),” URL: https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/Missions/PSLVC47/PSLV_C47LaunchKit_cdr.pdf

4) Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), “Cartosat-3 Mission Summary,” URL: https://database.eohandbook.com/database/missionsummary.aspx?missionID=565

5) India Space Week, “PSLV-C47 / Cartosat-3 Mission,” URL: https://indiaspaceweek.org/static/document/PSLV-C47-Cartosat-3_Mission.pdf

6) National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), “Cartosat Series Data Products Brochure,” URL: https://www.nrsc.gov.in/nrscnew/assets/pdf/announcements/C3_BROCHURE_JAN2021_modified.pdf

7) SatelliteMap.space, “Cartosat-3 Operational Status,” URL: https://satellitemap.space/sat/44804

8) ISRO, “ISRO's Cartosat-3 image shows damage caused by the Earthquake in Myanmar on 28 Mar 2025”, URL: https://www.isro.gov.in/Earthquake_Myanmar.html 

9) CEOS, “Cartosat-3 Panchromatic Sensor (ID 917),” URL: https://database.eohandbook.com/database/instrumentsummary.aspx?instrumentID=917

10) CEOS, “Cartosat-3 Multispectral Camera (ID 1611),” URL: https://database.eohandbook.com/database/instrumentsummary.aspx?instrumentID=1611