SilasCorrie at 11:10, 23 January 2026

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{{Short description|Indian earth observation satellite}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Distinguish|Cartosat-2}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = Cartosat-2F
| names_list = CartoSat-2F<br/>CartoSat-2ER
| image = CartoSat2_Satellite.jpeg
| image_caption = CartoSat-2F satellite
| image_size = 300px

| mission_type = [[Earth Observation Satellite|Earth Observation]]
| operator = [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]]<ref name="spaceflight101">{{cite web|url=http://spaceflight101.com/events/pslv-c40-cartosat-2er/|title=PSLV C40 • Cartosat-2F |publisher=Spaceflight101|date=12 January 2018|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>
| COSPAR_ID = 2018-004A
| SATCAT = 43111
| website = https://www.isro.gov.in/
| mission_duration = 5 years (planned)<br/>{{time interval|12 January 2018|show=ymd}} ''(in progress)''

| spacecraft = CartoSat-2F
| spacecraft_type =
| spacecraft_bus = [[IRS-2]]<ref name="Gunter"/>
| manufacturer = [[Indian Space Research Organization]]
| launch_mass = {{cvt|710|kg}}
| dry_mass =
| dimensions =
| power = 986 [[watt]]s

| launch_date = 12 January 2018, 03:59 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| launch_rocket = [[Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle|Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL]], [[PSLV-C40]]
| launch_site = [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]],<br/>[[Satish Dhawan Space Centre|First launch Pad (FLP)]]
| launch_contractor = [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]

| entered_service = 12 April 2018
| disposal_type =
| deactivated =
| last_contact =

| orbit_reference = [[Geocentric orbit]]
| orbit_regime = [[Sun-synchronous orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis = {{cvt|505|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis = {{cvt|505|km}}
| orbit_inclination = 97.47°
| orbit_period = 94.72 minutes

| instruments_list = {{Infobox spaceflight/Instruments
| acronym1 = PAN | name1 = Panchromatic Camera
| acronym2 = HRMX | name2 = High-Resolution Multi-Spectral radiometer
| acronym3 = EvM | name3 = [[Event monitoring|Event Monitoring camera]]
}}

| programme = [[Earth observation satellite|Earth observation satellites series]]
| previous_mission = [[Cartosat-2E]]
| next_mission = [[RISAT-2B]]
}}

'''Cartosat-2F''' is the eighth satellite in the Cartosat-2 Series. It is an [[Earth observation satellite]] launched on the [[PSLV-C40]] mission by the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO).<ref name="WMO">{{cite web|url=https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satellites/view/cartosat_2f|title=Satellite: CartoSat-2F|publisher=World Meteorological Organization (WMO)|date=4 January 2020|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>

== History ==
Originally, [[Cartosat-2E]] was published as the last Cartosat-2 satellite to be launched, as [[Cartosat-3]] Series spacecraft were scheduled to launch in 2018. Cartosat-2F was first listed on launch schedules as Cartosat-2ER, a name possibly indicating it was originally a replica of Cartosat-2E to be used as a spare.<ref name="Graham">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/01/indias-pslv-launches-cartosat-2f/|title=India's PSLV successfully launches Cartosat-2F|last1=Graham|first1=William|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|date=11 January 2018|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>

== Satellite description ==
Like other satellites in the series, Cartosat-2F was built on an IRS-2 bus. It uses [[reaction wheel]]s, [[magnetorquer]]s, and [[hydrazine]]-fueled reaction control thrusters for stability. It has a design service life of five years.<ref name="NASA">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2018-004A|title=Display: Cartosat-2F 2018-004A|publisher=NASA|date=27 April 2021|access-date=14 May 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Cartosat-2F has three main [[remote sensing]] instruments, a [[panchromatic]] camera called PAN, a four channel [[Visible spectrum|visible]]/[[Infrared|near infrared]] [[radiometer]] called HRMX, and an [[Event monitoring]] camera (EvM).<ref name=WMO/>

* Panchromatic camera (PAN) is capable of taking [[panchromatic]] (black and white) photographs in a selected portion of the [[visible spectrum|visible]] and [[near-infrared]] spectrum (0.50–0.85 [[Micrometre|μm]]) at a resolution of {{cvt|65|cm}}.<ref name="PAN">{{cite web|url=https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/instruments/view/pan_cartosat_2c_d|title=Instrument: PAN (CartoSat 2C/2D)|publisher=World Meteorological Organization|date=11 June 2018|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>
* High-Resolution Multi-Spectral (HRMX) radiometer is a four-channel [[radiometer]] sensitive across the entire visible spectrum and part of the near-infrared spectrum (0.43–0.90 μm) at a resolution of {{cvt|2|m}}.<ref name="HRMX">{{cite web|url=https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/instruments/view/hrmx|title=Instrument: HRMX|publisher=World Meteorological Organization|date=6 January 2020|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>
* Event Monitoring camera (EvM) is also capable of capturing minute long video of a fixed spot as well, Event Monitoring camera (EvM) for frequent high-resolution land observation of selected areas.<ref name="EvM">{{cite web|url=https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/instruments/view/evm|title=Instrument: EvM|publisher=World Meteorological Organization|date=4 January 2020|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>

== Launch ==

[[File:PSLV XL C40 Cartosat-2F hazard zones for falling stage debris based on NOTAM.svg|thumb|right|The route of the satellite Cartosat-2F. Satellite uses a [[dogleg maneuver]] to avoid debris falling over [[Sri Lanka]].]]

The PSLV-C40 launch was initially placed on hiatus following failures with the nose cone and satellite deployment systems of [[PSLV-C39]], but was cleared to launch once these issues were resolved.<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pslv-all-set-to-ferry-31-satellites-tomorrow/article22413653.ece|title=PSLV all set to ferry 31 satellites on 12 January|newspaper=The Hindu|date=10 January 2018|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref> It was launched at 03:59 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] from [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre|First Launch Pad]] at [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]] on 12 January 2018,<ref name="ISRO statement">{{cite web|title=PSLV Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/update/12-jan-2018/pslv-successfully-launches-31-satellites-single-flight|publisher=ISRO|date=12 January 2018|access-date=14 March 2021|archive-date=30 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130211525/https://www.isro.gov.in/update/12-jan-2018/pslv-successfully-launches-31-satellites-single-flight|url-status=dead}}</ref> the third of the series to be launched within a year.<ref name="NASA"/> After 16 minutes and 37 seconds, Cartosat-2F was separated from the [[launch vehicle]], and the [[ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network]] (ITTCN) took control of the satellite for maneuvers to its desired orbit.<ref name='ISRO statement'/> The launch also marked the 100th satellite successfully put into orbit by the ISRO.<ref name="Tehelka">{{cite news|title=ISRO launches 100th satellite Cartosat-2 Series|url=https://tehelka.com/isro-launches-100th-satellite-cartosat-2-series/|newspaper=Tehelka|agency=Tehelka|access-date=28 February 2019|archive-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301074543/http://tehelka.com/isro-launches-100th-satellite-cartosat-2-series/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Mission ==
The first image returned by the mission, on 15 January 2018; was of [[Holkar Stadium]] and the surrounding community in [[Indore]], [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref name="KR">{{cite news|first1=K. R.|last1=Rahul |title=Cartosat-2F first image stunningly sharper than Google Map|url=https://www.ibtimes.sg/cartosat-2f-first-image-stunningly-sharper-google-map-23224|publisher=International Business Times, Singapore Edition |date=4 December 2019|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref> The PAN camera is designed to have a [[spatial resolution]] less than one meter and a [[Swathe|swath width]] of ten kilometers.<ref name="Gunter">{{cite web|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/cartosat-2.htm|title=Cartosat 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=7 July 2020 |access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>

On 27 November 2020, at 01:49 UTC, Cartosat-2F and Russia's Kanopus-V No. 3 spacecraft came very close while in orbit, passing each other at distance of nearly 200 to 450 meters.<ref name="Roscosmos">{{cite web|title=Russian and Indian satellites missed each other in space at 200 m|url=http://en.roscosmos.ru/21800/|publisher=Roscosnos|date=27 November 2020|access-date=14 May 2021|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814094733/http://en.roscosmos.ru/21800/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="INDIATIMES">{{cite web|title=Indian, Russian satellites just metres away in space; Roscosmos says 224 m, ISRO says 420 m|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indian-russian-satellite-just-metres-away-in-space-roscosmos-says-224m-isro-says-420m/articleshow/79452277.cms|newspaper=The Times of India|date=28 November 2020|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref>

During a [[Solar storm|Solar Storm]] in May 2024, the Orbit of Cartosat-2F decayed from a normal 35 to 40 meters to 180 meters.The spacecraft used its engines to make up for the fall.

== References ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{PSLV}}
{{IRS satellites}}
{{Indian spacecraft}}
{{Orbital launches in 2018}}

[[Category:Cartosat]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by India in 2018]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by PSLV rockets]]
[[Category:January 2018 in India]]

Cartosat-2F - Revision history

SilasCorrie at 11:10, 23 January 2026