Sunday 19 May 2013

INDIA'S GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE TO MONITOR MISSILE ACTIVITIES IN 6000KM OF RANGE


India has launched an ambitious India has launched an ambitious programme to use its array of geostationary satellites (G-sats) to monitor missile activities in an area of 6,000 km. to use its array of geostationary satellites (G-sats) to monitor missile activities in an area of 6,000 km.

India has launched an ambitious programme to use its array of geostationary satellites (G-sats) to monitor missile activities in an area of 6,000 km. With this, the country’s constellation of G-sats will become the first line of defence in its anti-missile shield. This programme is independent of the observation grid installed by defence and intelligence agencies. The advantage of using geostationary satellites is their fixed position at a height of 36,000 km and synchronised with the earth’s movement.

Allaying fears that this deployment could compromise India’s space policy, sources clarified that it is not meant as an offensive posture and data won’t be shared with any other country. “We’re using these satellites to warn us of an impending danger even as they continue with their primary tasks of transmission and meteorological observations,” sources said.

A top source told TOI that special lens and processing electronics are being developed to significantly improve the power of G-sat cameras and telescope. “The Centre has given ISRO the go-ahead. The programme is into a crucial development phase,” he said.

The project is aimed at installing sensitive surveillance equipment along with other payload on the G-sats. “They will capture the signature of any missile launch activities happening in a radius of 6,000 km.This signature will be transmitted to a central control unit which would initiate necessary counter-mechanism,” sources said.

The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing the interceptor missile which has entered trial phase. “Given their strategic position, we can even have exclusive facility to monitor a country or a particular region. Given the G-sat’s capability to map anything to a resolution of one metre, we will be able to capture the slightest of movements or even heat signatures,” sources said.

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