| Mission type | Earth observation |
|---|---|
| Operator | DLR |
| COSPAR ID | 2001-049C |
| SATCAT no. | 26959 |
| Website | DLR BIRD page |
| Mission duration | 1 year, 3 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 92 kilograms (203 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 22 October 2001 |
| Rocket | PSLV-C3 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan FLP |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.00209 |
| Perigee altitude | 551 kilometres (342 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 580 kilometres (360 mi) |
| Inclination | 97.8 degrees |
| Period | 96 minutes |
| Epoch | 22 October 2001, 00:53:00 UTC[1] |
BIRD (Bispectral and Infrared Remote Detection) is a satellite launched by ISRO in 2001 for DLR. This small (92 kg) boxlike system, with solar panels and two collectors on stub wings, has remarkable fire-detection qualities. It hosts a two-channel infrared sensor system in combination with a Wide-Angle Optoelectronic Stereo Scanner (WAOSS). It also features a neuronal network classificator in orbit to reduce downlink bandwidth and cost.[2]
The unique combination of a stereo camera and two infrared cameras gives the opportunity to acquire:
- More precise information about leaf mass and photosynthesis is needed for the early diagnosis of vegetation conditions and changes.
- Real-time discrimination between smoke and water clouds
The attitude and control system of the BIRD satellite was reused in the TET-1 satellite.
