The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch Oceansat-2, a unique integrated satellite to track marine life and identify potential fishing zones in September. This was disclosed by Y V N Krishnamurthy, Director of ISRO's Regional Remote Sensing Service Centre on Monday. The integration of the satellite, designed to identify potential fishing zones, assists in forecasting marine trends and coastal zone studies will also provide inputs for weather forecasting and climate studies. Krishnamurthy said that all pre-launch tests on the functional aspects of the satellite have been successfully completed.

"We are launching a satellite called Oceansat-2 based on the ocean colour and the wind vectors. This scatterometer, which gives us, the wind vectors will provide information on where the fish potential zones are and how these are moving. In a dynamic situation also, the fishermen can get the advisories from the remote sensing information," he added. Oceansat-2 would blast off on board India's indigenous workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota located on the Indian east coast. This satellite will be an in-orbit replacement to Oceansat-1, which was launched by ISRO in May 1999 to study physical and biological aspects of oceanography. Oceansat-2 will carry an Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) and a Ku-band pencil beam Scatterometer — for the first time, in addition to a Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmospheric Studies (ROSA).