The satellite is intended to aid in cartography; gain information for agriculture, forestry and water management; facilitate the search for mineral resources; the planning of land use; and help in disaster response.

The swath width of the telescope is 17.5 km (10.9 mi), and the satellite flies over the same spot approximately every three days.

For trajectory correction maneuvers, the satellite uses its hydrazine thrusters, of which it has 4.5 kg (9.9 lb) propellant for its lifetime.

The stabilization is achieved by using star and Sun sensors, reaction wheels, gyroscopes and GPS.

The main payload Cartosat-2B was the first satellite to deploy, at 1034 seconds, at an altitude of approximately 637 kilometers (396 mi) above the Earth's surface in a circular Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of about 98.1 °.