Table of Contents
MORE OF ISRO’S MISSIONS
RECENTLY
19 DECEMBER 2018
ISRO launched GSLV-F11 carrying 2,250kg GSAT-7A The mission life of the GSAT-7A, built by the Indian Space Research Organisation, is eight years.
GSAT-7A – “ANGRY BIRD” SATELLITE
The communication satellite will enable the Indian Air Force (IAF) to interlink different ground radar stations, airbases and AWACS aircraft. It will boost the air force’s network-centric warfare capabilities and enhance its global operations. (Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS)
WHY IS GSAT-7A IMPORTANT FOR IAF?
Gsat-7A will not only interlink all airbases, but it will also boost drone operations The transition will boost the range, endurance and flexibility of UAVs. This comes at a time when India is in the process of acquiring American armed PredatorB or Sea Guardian drones, which are high-altitude and long endurance satellite-controlled UAVs that can fire at enemy targets from long distances.
HOW MANY DEDICATED COMMUNICATION SATELLITES ISRO HAS LAUNCHED FOR THE MILITARY?
Isro had launched Gsat-7, also called ‘Rukmini’, on September 29, 2013 exclusively for the Navy. ‘Rukmini’ has helped the Navy monitor the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as the satellite has a nearly 2,000 nautical mile ‘footprint’ and provides realtime inputs to Indian warships, submarines and maritime aircraft. The IAF is also likely to get another satellite Gsat-7C, within a few years that will boost its network-centric operations.
WHAT ARE THE SPACE ASSETS OF OUR INDIAN MILITARY?
India currently possesses around 14 military satellites. Most of these remote-sensing satellites like Cartosat-series and Risat satellites are placed in the near-earth orbit which help in better scanning of the earth.
HOW MANY MILITARY SATELLITES ARE THERE IN THE WORLD?
Currently, there are 320 military satellites orbiting the earth, with the US owning half of them, followed by Russia and China. Of late, China, considered to be India’s biggest rival, has taken huge strides in developing military assets in space, testing even ASAT (anti-satellite) weapons against “lowearth satellites” in January 2017.
BIG PLANS
Recently, the Ministry of Defence cleared a plan to set up a special “Defence Space Agency” – an integrated tri-services unit that will use all Indian space assets for the benefit of the armed forces.
NEW TRI-SERVICE AGENCIES
- Defence Space Agency: It will work closely with ISRO and DRDO for better utilisation and integration of space resources.
- This includes information sharing from individual satellites, and surveillance from other satellites which can then be shared with the concerned defence service. It will have over 200 personnel.
GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT
- Geostationary orbit is a type of geosynchronous orbit of a satellite whereby it moves with the same speed as the rotation of the Earth. Because it orbits at the same speed as Earth revolves, a geostationary satellite seems to be stationary if seen from the surface of the Earth.
- Geostationary orbit is also known as geostationary Earth orbit and geosynchronous equatorial orbit.
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