Sensor · Spaceborne

INSAT-3DR Imager

Six-channel geostationary meteorological imager on INSAT-3DR, covering visible, SWIR, MWIR, water-vapour, and split-window TIR bands.

Sensor

INSAT-3DR Imager is the mission's six-channel geostationary meteorological imager, separate from the 19-channel INSAT-3DR Sounder ^[1]^[2]. It provides visible, shortwave-infrared, mid-wave infrared, water-vapour, and split-window thermal-infrared imaging for cloud, surface, and radiance products over the Indian Ocean region ^[1]^[3]. The band set is VIS 0.52-0.72 um, SWIR 1.55-1.70 um, MWIR 3.80-4.00 um, water vapour 6.50-7.00 um, TIR-1 10.2-11.2 um, and TIR-2 11.5-12.5 um ^[1]. Ground sampling is 1 km for VIS/SWIR, 4 km for MWIR and thermal-window bands, and 8 km for the water-vapour band; the payload uses 10-bit imaging ^[1]. Demonstrated uses include atmospheric motion vectors from image sequences, sea-surface-temperature retrieval from split-window infrared channels, and broadband radiometry products such as outgoing longwave radiation ^[1]. The imager is best matched to repeated full-disc meteorological imaging and derived cloud, wind, radiation, and surface-temperature products, not vertical atmospheric profile retrieval ^[1]^[3].

Operator pricing

Pricing not publicly listed by operator

Supply chain position

carried by INSAT-3DR

Methods this sensor implements

Demonstrated

Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)via INSAT-3DR
INSAT-3DR imager supports cloud motion vector derivation from visible, water-vapour, and thermal observations.
Sea-surface temperature retrievalvia INSAT-3DR
MOSDAC states the split-window TIR imager enables improved sea-surface-temperature extraction over the Indian region.
Broadband radiometryvia INSAT-3DR
MOSDAC identifies outgoing longwave radiation as a derived product improved by INSAT-3DR imager thermal channels.
Multispectral optical imaging
[mosdac-insat-3dr-payloads] Visible 0.52 to 0.72 um and shortwave-infrared 1.55 to 1.70 um channels at 1 km; edge covers its reflective channels only.
Thermal infrared imagingvia INSAT-3DR
[mosdac-insat-3dr-payloads] MWIR 3.8-4.0 um and split-window TIR 10.2-12.5 um at 4 km; edge covers those channels.

Capable, undemonstrated

None on record.

Topics this relates to

Atmospheric Wind Observation Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)(demonstrated)well suited

Weather nowcasting Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)(demonstrated)well suited

Earth radiation budget Broadband radiometry(demonstrated)well suited

Disaster damage assessment Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Snow cover Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Cloud properties Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Coastal erosion Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Crop-type mapping Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Deforestation Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Flooding Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Illegal construction Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Land cover change Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Terrain elevation Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Urban change Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)adequate

Crop phenology Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Crop stress and yield Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Inland water Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Mineral exploration Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Pasture and grazing Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Wildfire Multispectral optical imaging(demonstrated)marginal

Sea surface temperature Sea-surface temperature retrieval(demonstrated)well suited

Ocean heat content Sea-surface temperature retrieval(demonstrated)marginal

Building thermal performance Thermal infrared imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Urban heat island Thermal infrared imaging(demonstrated)well suited

Sources

[1]MOSDAC INSAT-3DR payloadsagency doc2026-06-16
[2]ISRO INSAT-3DR mission pageagency doc2026-06-16
[3]WMO OSCAR instrument record: INSAT imageragency doc2026-06-16

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/insat-3dr-imager Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →

How to cite this page

Plain text

INSAT-3DR Imager. EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/insat-3dr-imager (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:products:sensor:insat-3dr-imager,
  title = {INSAT-3DR Imager},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/insat-3dr-imager}
}