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India Launches Its First All-Weather Spy Satellite

Posted by timothy on from the everybody's-doing-it dept.

murthydn writes "According to a Times of India article, 'India on Monday successfully launched its first all-weather spy satellite that will help security agencies keep a watch on the movements on the borders. The satellite has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat.'"

24 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. But the headline says... by clickclickdrone · · Score: 4, Informative

    "RISAT-2 not a spy satellite: ISRO chief". Methinks the story changed during the 'slashdot delay' window.

    --
    I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
    1. Re:But the headline says... by theCoder · · Score: 4, Insightful

      From TFA:

      "Though the satellite has a global coverage we will use it only for our use," ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair told reporters at a post-launch press conference.

      Yeah... just like RICO was only used against gangsters, the PATRIOT act only against terrorists, and asset forfeiture only against drug lords. And red light cameras and automatic speed traps are for safety, not revenue generation. Sure.

      Not that there's any reason that they couldn't or shouldn't use their new satellite to look at other nations, it's just annoying when officials say something like that that they know (or should know) will be false.

      --
      "Save the whales, feed the hungry, free the mallocs" -- author unknown
  2. Snigger... by clickclickdrone · · Score: 4, Funny

    I see further down:
    "He said the launch of Anusat has prompted six other educational institutions"
    With a name like that it *has* to be for looking at Uranus.

    --
    I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
    1. Re:Snigger... by ap7 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Perhaps you were trying to be funny, but in case you were not, 'Anu' in Hindi means atom. So the name Anusat was probably for a very small satellite.

    2. Re:Snigger... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Perhaps you were trying to be funny, but in case you were not, 'Anus' in English means butt. So the name Anusat was probably for a very small satellite that will explore your butt.

    3. Re:Snigger... by ap7 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Now you are just being anal.

    4. Re:Snigger... by Werrismys · · Score: 2, Funny

      PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH: I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all. FRY: Oh. What's it called now? PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH: Urectum.

      --
      'Once scientists, even the dim-witted social scientists, get muzzled, the Western Civilization is finished.' - oldhack
  3. So... by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    It can withstand the weather in space?

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:So... by rumith · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually, shielding spacecrafts from the effects of space weather is a real problem! Aah, nothing like the sound of onboard electronics getting fried with a ton of high-speed protons from a coronal mass ejection :-)

  4. I get the feeling... by lobiusmoop · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It might be keeping an close eye on Pakistan's nuclear weapons facilities too, given the way that country is heading. Can't be much fun having a collapsing nuclear power next door.

    --
    "I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
    1. Re:I get the feeling... by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Funny

      Can't be much fun having a collapsing nuclear power next door.

      I don't know. Would any Canadians like to comment?

    2. Re:I get the feeling... by greentshirt · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's not that bad, I mean we get American TV channels.

  5. SAR by phyr · · Score: 4, Interesting

    All-weather in this case means Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and I don't believe this is anymore a spy satellite than Radarsat2.

  6. But it's our WEATHER! by dmomo · · Score: 2, Funny

    How dare they spy on all our Weather. It now belongs to THEM! For great justice.

  7. Pakistan replies .... by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In response to India launching yet another satellite into orbit, Pakistan vowed it will redouble its madrassas and launch more planes into buildings.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:Pakistan replies .... by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Informative

      I hope that this gets modded funny. However sadly I think it is informative. After all they responded to India saying it would increase border defences after the Mumbai attack by saying it would reduce efforts in the War against terror.

    2. Re:Pakistan replies .... by hansraj · · Score: 4, Informative

      That is quite some way of putting things! In all fairness you have to realize that India and Pakistan have a serious trust problem with each other. Even though India would claim that the increased border defense (read more military near India-Pakistan border) is only for defense, in case of a future tense situation it would put Pakistan under immense pressure to mobilize its forces quite suddenly. The only rational move for them, therefore, is to move forces to the border already. And that implies weakening the force available at the Pakistan-Afganistan border and thus "reducing their efforts" in the war against terror.

      Now you can all wish that we lived in a perfect world where such a reasoning in not needed, but unfortunately the reality of India-Pakistan relations is ugly and one of deep mistrust for each other. And in such a situation what you wrote in your post is a natural way to react for the parties.

      PS: I am Indian and believe that Pakistan has a fucked up priorities with regards to India and its vision for its own future, but there is no need to put a shade of propaganda to everything.

  8. Re:Overload! by EvilToiletPaper · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Apart from that it's sandwiched by Pakistan and Afghanistan on the left and China and Burma on the right.

    They don't seem to have much luck in that area either..

  9. Re:Remind me again will you by freakxx · · Score: 2, Insightful

    sorry but can u be more descriptive in the kind of aid the UK is providing to India? In which field? And are you sure that it is "aid"?

  10. Re:Remind me again will you by zoneerror · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Probably it's a way of returning the wealth stolen from India! Cheers!

  11. Re:Yeah - beging the space wars!!!! by ap7 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Judging from the complete lack of hysteria in the US about Pakistan's nukes, I'd say that the nukes are already under the US's control or they have veto power over deployment. Besides, Pakistan would risk being wiped out by any retaliatory attack should they attack anyone first. And they would likely lose any remaining sympathy the international community for their problems. That would be bad news for Pakistan, Taliban and their cronies.

  12. Re:Remind me again will you by priyank_bolia · · Score: 2, Interesting

    yes, you are right, I totally agree with you. In fact, the world's largest democratic country don't need any aid from any country. We will be more happy if UK and it allies stop aiding countries supporting terrorism: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7486948.stm

  13. Re:Remind me again will you by Peter_J_G · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So would the British public :)

  14. so we're allowed to use racist language on /. ? by fantomas · · Score: 3, Informative

    Not sure how the term is received in the USA but over here in the UK calling somebody from Pakistan a "paki" is like calling somebody with African-American heritage a "nigger". Most people consider it outdated and downright offensive, most folk with Pakistani origins who live in the UK associate it with small minded neo-nazis shouting at them, parading through the streets and telling them to "go home" and worse.

    For your information... Not sure how the the term is received in the USA. But if you ever came on holiday to the UK you'd be better not to use the term unless you wanted to get into fights quite regularly.

    regards.