The Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT) launched yesterday by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is working normally. The Hold Down and Tilt Mechanisms of the Ocean Colour Monitor on board were released during its 15 th orbit at 11 am IST today by issuing telecommands from the Spacecraft Control Centre of ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bangalore. The tilt mechanisms enable OCM instrument to be directed in such a way as to avoid sun glint during data collection over the oceans. In the satellite's 16 th orbit, Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) has also been tested by switching on the instrument at 12:40 pm IST and preliminary data collected at the National Remote Sensing Agency NRSA, at Hyderabad, indicate normal performance.

The two sun-tracking solar panels of IRS-P4, which generate electrical power for the satellite, were automatically deployed by an on-board sequencer immediately after its injection into orbit yesterday. IRS-P4 is being monitored and controlled by ISTRAC stations located at Bangalore, Sriharikota, Lucknow, Mauritius, Bearslake in Russia and Biak in Indonesia. Another station at Weilheim in Germany is providing support for the initial phase of the mission.

During the next few days OCM will also be tested out and, in about ten days, IRS-P4 will start sending data from its two payloads.

First signals from the German DLR-TUBSAT were received by University of Berlin during its second orbit about 3 hours after its injection into orbit by PSLV-C2. The first signals from the Korean KITSAT-3 were also acquired by the Korean Station during its fifth orbit as expected and this satellite is also functioning normally.

KITSAT-3 and DLR-TUBSAT were also launched by India's PSLV-C2 along with IRS-P4 into a 727 km Polar sunsynchronous orbit yesterday from ISRO's SHAR Centre at Sriharikota.