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Radio Isotopes and their Uses

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Last Update: May 2023 (Radio Isotopes and their Uses)

Radio Isotopes and their Uses

This article deals with ‘Radio Isotopes and their Uses .’ This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Isotopes of some elements are unstable and hence radioactive. E.g.: Iodine-131, Indium-92, Molybdenum-99, Chromium-51, Phosphorous-32 etc.

Applications of Radio Isotopes

1. Energy

Energy can be produced by using nuclear fission and fusion in a controlled way using nuclear reactors.

2. Agriculture

To develop mutant crops: Radioisotopes is used to develop high yield, disease-resistant varieties
BARC has produced green manure crop Sesbania Rostrata using this
Food irradiation: Food irradiation is used for food preservation, in which radiation is used to break chemical bonds of enzymes needed for chemical reactions. It increases the shelf life of perishable food. CODEX & HACCP accept food irradiation. Prevention of Food Adulteration Act has provisions regarding food irradiation.

3. Medicine and Healthcare

Nuclear medicine is a medical speciality that uses trace amounts of radioactive substances (called radio-pharmaceuticals) to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and conditions safely and painlessly.
1. Thyroid cancer is treated using I-131 (iodine)
2. Bhabhatron, designed by BARC, is used to treat Breast Cancer, Bowel Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer and Lung Cancer using radioactive Co-60 (Cobalt).
3. Brachytherapy is done by placing sealed radioactive sources at or near the target area. It is used for treating Prostate Cancer using Iridium-192
Radio Immunoassay to measure Hormones, Enzymes and Serum Proteins.
Radiation Sterilization is used to sterilize medical products such as syringes, cotton wool etc.

4. Dating / Archaeology

C-14 Dating: Radioactivity of a particular isotope of Carbon, i.e. C-14, is used by archaeologists to ascertain the age of dead organisms.
Uranium Dating: Uranium dating is used to date the rocks formed 1 million to 4.5 billion years ago.

5. Sludge Hygenization

Radiation Technology is used to hygienize the sludge and manufacture manure from it. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is using this technique.

6. Insect and Pest Control

7. Detecting Leakage

Radioactivity can be used to detect the point of leakage in underground pipelines. The point of leakage has high levels of radiation.

8. Other uses

Water Management: BARC has developed desalination technologies for providing potable water in rural areas & on ships using radioactive materials.
Industry: Radioisotopes are used in the quality control of industrial products.

IRNSS / NAVIC

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Last Updated: Jan 2025 (IRNSS / NAVIC)

IRNSS / NAVIC

This article deals with ‘IRNSS / NAVIC‘. This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

How Global Positioning System (GPS) works?

GPS is the network of 24 Satellites that orbits the Earth, transmitting signals back to Earth. GPS triangulates the position by comparing the time when the signal was transmitted by the satellite with the time it was received. With the help of 3 satellites locked by the receiver, the 2D position (latitude & longitude) can be determined, and with 4 satellites, the 3D position can be determined (latitude, longitude & altitude).
GPS receiver is only a receiver, without any transmitting capability. The satellites contain highly precise atomic clocks, generating some code that keeps transmitting to the Earth.

IRNSS / NAVIC

At present, only a few countries have fully functional global navigation systems. These include

USA	NAVSTAR
Russia	GLONASS
China	Beidou Compass
Japan	Quasi-Zenith
Europe	Galileo

American GPS has 24 satellites covering all parts of the world. Indian GPS (named NAVIC) has just 7 satellites covering India and 1,500 km beyond its borders.
7 satellites of NAVIC or IRNCC has the following composition
- 3 Geostationary Satellites
- 4 Geosynchronous Satellites with an inclination of 29 degrees
Area of Service of IRNSS includes
- Primary Service Area: up to 1,500 km from India’s boundary.
- Extended Service Area: rectangle imagined by 30° S and 50° N and 30° E and 130° E.
NAVIC has an accuracy of 20 m (compared to 15 m of American GPS).

Timeline

1979	The first satellite of GPS (USA) was launched.
1982	The first satellite of GLONASS was launched.
2006	The Indian government approved this project.
2016 April	All 7 satellites were placed in orbit & Modi named this system NAVIC, i.e. Navigation with Indian Constellation.

Applications of IRNSS

Terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation.
Disaster management
vehicle tracking and fleet management.
Integration with mobile.
Precise timing
Terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travellers.
Geotagging of all the assets created under schemes like MNREGA, RKVY etc.

Why should the Indian Government waste money on IRNSS/NAVIC? Why not simply use American GPS at a fraction of that cost?

Access to a foreign GPS is not guaranteed during a hostile situation. During Indo-Pakistan War (Kargil War) in 1999, the rumour circulated that the US was denying India access to the most precise level of its GPS. Although this rumour was never substantiated, this scenario presented the advantage of having such a system fully under Indian Control.
Americans sent wrong GPS signals to Iraqi planes during the Iraq war, and the same can happen with India as well.
It also bolsters the ability of India to serve as a net security provider in the neighbourhood and Indian Ocean Region.
It will increase the technical prowess of India and help it in becoming a knowledge-based economy.
It can play a role in relief efforts post disasters such as the tsunami in the Indian Ocean region in 2004.

Use in Diplomacy

As a goodwill gesture, Modi said that our SAARC neighbours could use it who depend on foreign GPS services.

New developments wrt NAVIC

December 2020: International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has recognized NavIC as a World-Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) component. It will enable NAVIC’s utilization in maritime navigation, surveying and others.
Jan 2020: Qualcomm Technologies has unveiled mobile chipsets supporting the IRNSS/ NAVIC. Now Mobile manufacturers can release NAVIC enabled phones in India.

GAGAN

GAGAN = GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation System
GAGAN is intended to meet civil aviation requirements, and ISRO has worked with the Airports Authority of India to establish GAGAN.
It is a satellite-based augmentation system for Civil Aviation purposes.
It depends on GPS (American navigation system) and Indian satellites like GSAT 8, 10 & 15.
GAGAN provides position to aeroplanes in the Indian airspace with an accuracy of 3 m.

Gaganyaan

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Last updated: Jan 2025 (Gaganyaan)

Gaganyaan

This article deals with ‘Gaganyaan‘. This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here

Gaganyaan Program or Indian Human Spaceflight Program (IHSP)

Gaganyaan Program is India’s first manned Spacecraft. In the 15 August (2018) Speech, PM Modi set a target of 2022 for the Space Manned Mission. It has been delayed now and is expected to be launched in 2025.
It will carry 3 crew members to low earth orbit (400 km above earth’s surface) , their stay for 3 days and their safe return back to Earth.
India will become 4th country after US, Russia and China to have this capability.

Spacecraft / Space Shuttle

As Satellite Launch Vehicles are used to send satellites in the Orbits. In the same way, Spacecraft is used to send astronauts into space.
Examples include China’s Shenzhou, America’s Atlantis, Russia’s Soyuz, SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule and Boeing’s Dreamliner.
India’s Gaganyaan is also a spacecraft.

Timeline

1984	Rakesh Sharma travelled to space (becoming the first and only Indian citizen to do so).
2007	The first proposal for ISRO’s human-crewed space mission.
Dec 2014	Experimental flight of manned mission launcher GSLV MK-III tested.
July 2018	ISRO conducted Pad Abort Test (PAT). Pad Abort Test is part of the crew escape system, which assists in quickly pulling the astronaut cabin along with the crew out to a safer distance from the launch vehicle during a launch abort.
15 August 2018	PM Modi announced that Gaganyaan will be launched by 2022. But the project got delayed.
2024	ISRO will send a humanoid robot named VYOMMITRA into space before human expedition to test the safety of the spacecraft.
2026	First, Indian manned Spacecraft will be launched.

Earlier Manned Missions

Only 3 countries — the USA, Russia and China — have sent human spaceflights.

Vostok 1 Mission (USSR,1961)	Took Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union into space, making him the world’s first human in space.
Mercury Mission (USA, 1961)	Alan Shepard was the first American sent to space.
Shenzou (China, 2003)	This mission put the first Chinese citizen in space.
Rakesh Kumar	Rakesh Kumar was the first Indian sent to space on a Russian Soyuz Space vehicle.

What will Gaganyaan Project include?

Gaganyaan is India’s manned mission to space.
In the mission, GSLV MK-III will carry a 3-member crew to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and safe return to the Earth after the duration of a few orbits to two days.
An extendable version of the spaceship will allow flights up to 7 days & docking capability with the space station.

Key Components of Human Space Program

Building up a Habitable Module
Other life support systems like Space Suits
Astronaut training
Capabilities for recovering Astronauts safely
Crew Escape System

Do you know?

Indian Astronauts will be called ‘Vyomanauts‘.

ISRO will send a humanoid robot called Vyommitra before sending human to test the safety of spacecraft.

Objectives of Gaganyaan Programme

The exponential growth of science and technology in the country.
Improvement of industrial growth.
Inspiring youth.
Development of technology for social benefit.
Improving international collaboration.

Benefits / Significance of Human Space Program

It will help India in doing Research and Development in space. Indian scientists will get the opportunity to conduct experiments in space through Gaganyaan Mission.
It will encourage our scientific community and will help in making India a knowledge-based economy. Significant advancement will happen in material processing, astrobiology, resources mining, planetary chemistry, planetary orbital calculus.
The Manned Space Program is essential to control the resources present outside the Earth. If we plan to set up colonies outside the Earth in the future, such programs will be of great help.
It has the added advantage to achieve the status of great power.
Indian industry will find significant opportunities as Gaganyaan Mission is expected to source ~60% of its equipment from the Indian private sector.
According to the ISRO chief, the Gaganyaan mission would create 15,000 new employment opportunities.
It will increase India’s soft power and give space to Indian Space diplomacy. India will be the fourth country to launch a human space mission, establishing India’s role as a key player in the space industry.

Challenges

The human body is designed according to Earth’s gravity. There is a microgravity environment in space, which affects hand-eye and head-eye coordination. In the absence of gravity, blood and body fluids cannot distribute to the lower part of the body and accumulate in the upper part. Additionally, the size of the heart decreases, bones become weak, and the brain cannot interpret information correctly.
Humans in space are subjected to a high degree of radiation, increasing cancer risk.
Space is a hostile environment as there is a lack of gravity, danger of radiation and absence of atmosphere.
Financial: These missions require exorbitantly huge investment as they are highly technology-intensive. It will cost ISRO Rs. 10,000 crores.
Re-entry and Recovery: The biggest challenge in the case of human flight is the re-entry of the vehicle back into the Earth’s atmosphere and recovery of the module as it is subjected to extreme heat due to friction with the air. Even the slightest deviation can result in disaster.

International Space Station (ISS)

ISS

ISS or International Space Station is a man-made or artificial habitable satellite in Low Earth orbit (between 278 km and 460 km) and travels at 15.7 orbits per day.
The space station also acts as a laboratory in space where astronauts stay for an extended period to carry out experiments in microgravity.
It is a joint venture of NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada).
It has been operating since 1998 and will continue to operate till 2031.
Building a Space Station is an expensive affair, and ISS is the most expensive object ever constructed by man, with a cost amounting to $150 billion.
It will be operational till 2031.
ISS is the ninth space station. Earlier, Mir, Salyut and Almaz were the Space Stations of the USSR, and Skylab was the Space Station of the USA.

Other Space Stations

Tianhe: Chinese Space Station, operational since 2021.
Russian Plans: Russia will withdraw from ISS in 2025 and will launch its space station in 2030.
Bhartiya Antariksha Station: Proposed by ISRO and plans are to launch its first module by 2028.

Uses of Space Stations

It acts as a Microgravity Lab. It is used to conduct experiments in biology, physics etc., in a micro-gravity environment.
Observe the long-term effects of space exposure on the human body.
Study of cosmic rays, cosmic dust, antimatter and dark matter in the universe.
It serves as a Space Terminal.
It can also be used in Space Tourism.

Artemis Accords

Artemis is the moon mission of NASA which aims to land the next man and the first woman on the moon by 2024.
The long term goal is to build Artemis Base Camp on the Moon’s surface and the Gateway in lunar orbit. This will allow robots and astronauts to explore and conduct scientific experiments on Lunar surface.

Artemis 1 Mission

In 2022, NASA’s Artemis 1 mission successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre.
It is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a long-term human presence at the Moon .
It is an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration.
Future Missions: Artemis I will be followed by Artemis II (Planned for 2024) and Artemis III (Planned for 2026)

Side Topic: Artemis

Artemis was a major deity in Ancient Greece. She was daughter of Zeus (Chief Greek God) and twin sister of Apollo (god of sun).
The Greeks and Romans associated Artemis with the Moon. Her independence and strength have long inspired women in a wide range of activities. She has also become a modern-day feminist icon.

Side Topic: CROPS

CROPS = Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies
CROPS is ISRO’s automated platform designed to cultivate plants in a microgravity environment under active thermal management.
In January 2025, ISRO was successful in sending cowpea seedlings to space, and at least three (out of eight) seeds sprouted leaves.
Importance: It will be important in future manned missions to space.

Indian Astronauts

Rakesh Sharma

He was the first Indian to travel to space.
He was born in Patiala in 1949 and later joined Indian Airforce as a pilot, from where he joined ISRO.
As a cosmonaut, he went to space in a Soviet Spacecraft (Soyuz T-11).

Kalpana Chawla

She was the first woman of Indian origin to go into space.
She did his B. Tech from Punjab Engineering College (Chandigarh) and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the USA.
Her first space flight was on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997. Unfortunately, in 2003, Kalpana Chawla was part of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and lost her life.

Sunita Williams

Sunita Williams is American of Indian (Gujarati) descent.
She has done 7 spacewalks and stayed in space for the longest time in a single flight (195 days).

Raja Chari

NASA has selected Raja Chari to fly to ISS in SpaceX Crew-3 Mission (with 3 other astronauts).
It is part of NASA’s Artemis program that aims to expand humanity’s horizons in space.

Anil Menon

Anil Menon is a doctor of Indian origin who has worked in SpaceX as a surgeon during its project to launch humans into space.
He has been chosen by NASA as a future astronaut.

Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles

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Last Update: Jan 2025 (Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles)

Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles

This article deals with ‘Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles‘. This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Satellite Launch Vehicles

SLV

SLV = Satellite Launch Vehicle.
It was a four-stage launch vehicle (all stages used solid fuel).
Payload that SLV could carry = 40 kg till 400 km.
The first successful launch of SLV happened in 1980 in the project headed by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
Later, India also used SLV to place the Rohini satellite in its orbit.

ASLV

ASLV = Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle.
ASLV was designed to augment the capacity of SLV.
It was a five-stage launch vehicle (all stages used solid propellant).
The payload that ASLV could carry = 150 kg till Low Earth Orbit.
The first successful launch of SLV happened in 1994, and it is retired now.

PSLV

PSLV = Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
The first launch using PSLV happened in 1993.
The payload that PSLV can carry = up to 1600 kg till Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit.
PSLV is very reliable, and 57 of its 60 launches were successful.
ISRO use it to launch Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) such as Cartosat, Oceansat etc. and some other historic missions like Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), Chandrayaan-1, IRNSS/ NAVIC, Aditya L1 etc.
It has three variants, i.e. PSLV–G, PSLV-CA and PSLV-XL. The latest version of PSLV, i.e. PSLV-XL, can carry up to 1750 kg. Chandrayaan & Mars missions were launched using this.
Stages of PSLV: Four Stages using solid and liquid fuel alternately.

First	– It uses solid fuel, i.e. HTPB- Hydroxyl Terminated Poly-Butadiene.
Second	– It uses liquid propellant, i.e. UDMH-Unsymmetrical Di Methyl Hydrazine with Nitrogen Tetroxide as an oxidiser. – It employs a Vikas engine.
Third	– It uses solid fuel, i.e. HTPB- Hydroxyl Terminated Poly-Butadiene.
Fourth	– It uses liquid propellant, i.e. Mono Methyl Hydrazine. – It employs Vikas Engine.

PSLV and importance to the Indian Space Program

PSLV was the country’s first operational launch vehicle and is dubbed as the ‘workhorse of ISRO’.
It is highly successful and reliable. It has a record of 97% successful launches, which is one of the most successful in the world.
It is used to carry remote sensing satellites to Polar Sun Synchronous Orbits with utmost precision. Till now, India has launched 54 Indian satellites and 222 foreign satellites using PSLV.
It poses potential competition to the west due to its lower launch price and is helping India to earn a lot of revenue.
It has also helped India in launching spy satellites and boosting national security.
ISRO launched the maximum number of satellites in the world in a single operation, i.e. 104 satellites using PSLV.

Side Topic: POEM Platform

The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) has been designed to use Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’s final and otherwise abandoned stage for in-orbit research.
In general operations, the PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) — after launching the satellite into orbit — ends up as space junk.

GSLV / GSLV MK-II

GSLV = Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
The first launch using GSLV happened in 2001.
ISRO made it to launch Geostationary and Geosynchronous Satellites.
It can carry up to 2500 kg till Geostationary Orbit (and 5,000 kg till Low Earth Orbit (LEO)).
It can be used to launch Indian National satellites (INSAT) & GSAT in Geostationary and Geosynchronous orbits. (but most of the Geostationary Satellites are around 3000 kg to 4000 kg, which GSLV MK II can’t take till Geostationary Orbit & we used to be dependent on Ariane Aerospace for their launches)
The next version of this launch vehicle is GSLV MK-3.
Stages of GSLV: GSLV is a 3 stage vehicle

First	Solid propelled
Second	Liquid propelled with hypergolic fuels
Third	Liquid propelled

Stage 1 & 2 are directly taken over from PSLV.

GSLV MK-III

Earlier (before June 2017), ISRO was in the position to launch only satellites weighing between 2 & 2.5 tons into geostationary orbits. But most contemporary communications satellites usually are in the weight category of 3 to 5 tons & therefore require a more powerful launcher. Moreover, India’s future missions to the Moon, Mars and Venus also need a powerful launcher. Appreciating this need, ISRO has made GSLV-Mark III a vehicle capable of placing 4-ton satellites in geostationary orbit.

Main Features of GSLV MK-III

It is the latest version of GSLV.
GSLV MK-III made its maiden flight from Sri Harikota in 2017, placing GSAT-19 in Geostationary Orbit.
Later, ISRO used the GLSV Mk-III to launch Chandrayaan-2 Mission (India’s second Lunar Mission).
GSLV Mk-3 can carry
- Up to 4 tons till Geostationary Orbit
- Up to 10 tons till Low Earth Orbit (Polar Satellites)
Hence, it has ended India’s reliance on the EU’s Arianespace launch vehicle to send GSAT satellites into Geosynchronous orbits.

GSLV MK-3 is a three-stage vehicle

First	Solid propellant
Second	Liquid Propellant
Third	Cryogenic Engine uses the Liquid Oxygen & Liquid Hydrogen as oxidiser and fuel, respectively (this stage differs from GSLV Mk-2).

Compared to solid and liquid propellants, a cryogenic propellant is more efficient. It provides more thrust by burning the same amount of propellant than Earth-based storable liquid and solid propellants.

Note: India had signed MoU with Russia to transfer Cryogenic Engines to India in starting 1990s, but the USA pressurised Russia not to supply these to India, arguing that it would violate MTCR Treaty (although Cryogenic engines are not used in Missiles). Due to this, India’s program suffered.

Significance

GSLV Mark III has made India a competitive player in the multimillion-dollar commercial launch market. It will help in earning substantial foreign exchange.
It will end India’s dependence on foreign launch vehicles to put its heavy satellites (GSAT series) in the geosynchronous orbit. (Earlier, India was dependent on France’s Ariane space ).
India can also send its astronauts into space using this.
It will boost India’s communication resources as the cost of launching Communication Satellites will reduce
Cryogenic Technology used in it can be further used in making Inter Continental Ballistic Missile.
It is a massive step in making India a ‘knowledge-based economy’. Till now, only USA (Saturn V), Russia (Proton M), China (Long March 5) & European Space Agency (Ariane), along with one private player (Space X), can launch geostationary and geosynchronous satellites.

Semi Cryogenic Engine

MoU regarding this has been signed between the Russian Space Agency & ISRO.
It would be India’s third Rocket Development Program.
Project Cost – approx. ₹1,800 crores.
It will be able to launch a 6 to 10-ton payload to the height of 36,000 km (more than GSLV-Mk-3).
Currently, only Russia & US has this technology.

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)

Due to the advancement in electronics, small satellites have started to be built on a large scale. Globally, more than 17,000 small satellites are expected to be launched till 2030. Earlier, these satellites were launched as piggybacks with big satellites. But ISRO has developed a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to exploit this newly emerging market fully.
India is also building its second launch station in the Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, and it will house one launchpad exclusively for Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) .
SSLV made its first successful flight in 2022 and its second in 2023.
India’s SSLV has the following features.
- Weight = 110 ton
- Payload = Can launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg.
- Time to integrate for launch = 72 hours (in contrast to 70 days with present launch vehicles)
- Cost = Rs. 30 crores per launch
- Stage: Three solid stages followed by a liquid-fuel-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM)
- New Space India Limited (NSIL) is the nodal agency (not ISRO)
The new vehicle has been developed to capture the emerging small and microsatellite commercial market, with launches offered on demand.
JAXA (of Japan) was one of the first space agencies to make this type of launch vehicle. A private company named bluShift is also focused on manufacturing Small Satellite Launch Vehicles. In January 2021, their Satellite Vehicle named Stardust1.0 came into operation with a mass of 250 kg and a carrying capacity of 8 kg.

Private Sector Launch Vehicle: Vikram-S

Skyroot is a Hyderabad-based company that has made a Vikram-S launch vehicle to enter the launch market.
Properties of Vikram-S Launch Vehicle
- It is a single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle.
- It is 3D printed.
- The core structure is built using carbon composites.
- It can carry between 290 kg and 560 kg payloads into sun-synchronous polar orbits.
- The engine used in the launch vehicle is named ‘Kalam-80’

It made its first successful flight in November 2022. It was launched with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre).
It is part of Mission Prarambh, which involves the Indian private sector’s entry into the space launch market.

Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)

In 2016, ISRO successfully launched the first technology demonstrator of the indigenously made RLV. After that, ISRO has conducted various Landing EXperiment (LEX) till 2024. However, many more experiments such as Orbital Re-entry Experiment (ORE) needs to be undertaken before ISRO readies a reusable launch vehicle for commercial use.
In simple words, it is a winged vehicle that will take off vertically like a rocket and glide back to land horizontally like a plane.
It will have a two-stage-to-orbit configuration.

Advantages

It will cut down the cost of launching satellites to 1/10th. The main launch cost currently comes from building the rocket, which can be used just once, as the rockets get burnt on re-entry into the atmosphere.
A more developed version of the vehicle could be used for human-crewed missions in the future.
It will also help in reducing space debris.

Note – No sovereign space agency has RLV for satellite launches. SpaceX is also working on this project.

Scramjet Engine

ISRO successfully conducted the Scramjet (or Supersonic Combusting ramjet) engine test. India has become the fourth nation to successfully flight-test a scramjet engine after the United States, Russia and China.
The scramjet engine uses natural oxygen present in the atmosphere to burn the fuel stored in the rocket. Hence, it reduces the amount of oxidiser carried along with the fuel, bringing down launch costs.

Benefits

It increases lift-off mass as there will be no need to carry liquified oxygen on board. (Note: propellant accounts for nearly 85% of the weight of a rocket, and in that oxygen accounts for almost 60% .)
Scramjet does not have rotating parts, so the chances of failure are also measurably reduced.

Mains Question: India & Satellite Launch Market

Satellite Launch is a multi-billion dollar industry, and NSIL (commercial arm of ISRO ) is emerging as a significant player in this sector.
Among 10 countries that have launch capability to launch satellites, only US, Russia, EU, Japan, China and India (6) make their services available commercially.

Satellite launch business has two basic categories:
- Launching satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO): India provides services here using PSLV.
- Launching 3-5 tonne satellites in Geostationary Orbit: After making GSLV MK III, hopefully, India will enter this market in the future. But presently, no commercial deal in this category has been made.

India launched SAARC/ South Asian Satellite in 2017, indicating that it is now using satellite technology as a foreign policy tool.

ISRO has made a world record with the launch of 104 Satellites in one launch. With this, India has shown its technological prowess to the world. Out of 104, 101 were foreign satellites.

With the entry of private players like SpaceX, Boeing and Blue Origin, the satellite launch market is becoming more competitive.

For becoming more competitive, India needs to take the following immediate steps.
1. PSLV’s design should be shared with the Indian private industry.
2. India should develop more launching sites to perform more annual launches.
3. Small satellites below 100 kg are becoming popular nowadays, but they are launched as piggyback with large satellites. Countries like the US, Japan, Russia & China and private players like SpaceX are making LV launch these satellites. ISRO should make a conscious decision to develop a new rocket for launching the small satellites.

Challenges

The entry of private giants like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing etc., in this field increased the competition.
ISRO is a minor player in the global space industry. Although ISRO is launching a large number of satellites on commercial terms, these are nano and microsatellites, while the main revenue comes from launching heavier satellites.
Indian share is just 2%
According to the Economic Survey, Antrix is marketing only medium and coarse resolution data products, but Commercial potential for the medium and coarse resolution data segment is facing a threat due to Free and Open Access to such data from Landsat-8 of US and Sentinel from the European Space Agency (ESA).

Indian Satellites

by admin

Last Updated: Dec 2024 (Indian Satellites)

Indian Satellites

This article deals with ‘Indian Satellites‘. This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here

Introduction

A satellite is a natural (moon) or man-made object that orbits around a planet or star. E.g., the Moon is the satellite of Earth and Earth is a satellite of the Sun.
Artificial Satellites are man-made objects orbiting around the Earth which help us to study, communicate and observe the distant universe. Artificial Satellites include Aryabhata, Bhaskara, Rohini, INSAT, GSAT, AstroSat, CartoSat etc.

Timeline

1957	Sputnik-1 launched by the Soviet Union
1958	Explorer-1 launched by the USA
1975	Aryabhatta – the first Indian satellite was launched (with Soviet Launch Vehicle).
1980	Rohini – the first satellite was launched using Indian Launch Vehicle.

Theory

If a stone is thrown with some speed in the horizontal direction, it will follow a curved path as it falls to the ground. If the stone is thrown at a higher speed, it follows a path of a bigger radius.

Conclusion: Greater the speed => Greater the Radius of Curved Path

Theory behind working of Indian Satellite

If somehow we could throw the stone with such tremendous speed that the radius of its path becomes a little greater than the radius of Earth, the stone would never fall on the Earth & would keep revolving around it. This is the principle on which Artificial Satellites work.

Side Topic: Types of Orbits

1. Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

It is situated 400 to 900 km above the surface of the Earth.
As it is situated closest to Earth, satellites have to overcome massive drag due to the atmosphere. Hence, satellites located in Low Earth Orbit have a shorter life span of 2-3 years.
They appear to be moving in the sky & take approx. 1.5 hours for one revolution.
The maximum time LEO satellites are visible from a fixed point on Earth is 20 minutes.
Following are placed in LEO
- Astronomical Telescopes (eg : India’s Astrosat)
- Space Stations (eg : International Space Station (ISS))

2. Geostationary Orbit

There is only one Geostationary Orbit at 36,000 km above the earth surface above the equator.
Satellites placed in the Geostationary Orbit revolves around the Earth with an orbital period of one sidereal day (23hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds).
It is a circular orbit lying in the equatorial plane.
It has a special property of remaining permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, meaning ground-based antennas do not need to track them but can remain fixed in one direction.
Such satellites are often used for communication and broadcast purposes (due to the above property).
Note: Single Geostationary Satellite can cover about 40% of the Earth’s surface. If three satellites are placed at proper longitude, the whole Earth can be covered. Arthur C Clarke first conceptualized this & the Geostationary orbit is sometimes referred to as Clarke’s Orbit in his honour.

3. Geosynchronous Orbit

Geosynchronous Orbit is also situated at 36,000 km above the Earth’s surface, but it is non-circular & non-equatorial.
Satellites placed in the Geosynchronous orbit also revolve around the Earth in one sidereal day, but they don’t appear to be stationary from Earth.

4. Polar Orbit

Polar Satellites pass above both poles of Earth, i.e. they are inclined at 90 degrees from the equator.
They are used for earth mapping, earth observation, surveillance & weather.

How it is used for mapping?

The time period of a polar satellite is nearly 100 minutes, and the Satellite completes many revolutions in a day. A Polar satellite covers a small strip of the area from pole to pole during one revolution. The next revolution covers a different area strip since the Earth would have moved by a small angle. In this way, polar satellites cover the entire surface area of the Earth.

5. Sun Synchronous Orbit

It is a special type of Polar Orbit.
In this, altitude & inclination are set in such a way that it guarantees the same illumination.
It has the same application as polar satellites.

6. Junk Orbit / Graveyard Orbit

When the life of Geo-Stationary Satellite completes, they are sent above Geostationary Orbit known as Junk Orbit
It is an excellent way to tackle space junk.

7. Halo Orbit

It is a specific type of solar orbit located at three Lagrange points (L1, L2 and L3) between Earth and the Sun.
Lagrange point is a point in the space where the combined gravitational force of two bodies is equal to the centrifugal force felt by a third body.

Transponders

Transponders are part of the payload of satellites.
Since the radio waves have to transverse long distances, the satellite receives the carrier signals at very low power. Therefore, satellites need to significantly boost the power of these signals before re-transmission back to Earth, ensuring that they are detectable by an Earth-based receiver. Transponders perform this function.

Different Types of Transponders

Transponder Band	Frequency Range	Application
L	1 to 2 GHz	GPS
S	2 to 4 GHz	Weather radar
C	4 to 8 GHz	Communication
X	8 to 12.5 GHz	Military (defence tracking, maritime and air traffic control) and Meteorological (weather monitoring)
Ku	12.5 to 18 GHz	DTH, Internet and VSAT services.
K	18 to 26.5 GHz	BSS and FSS (Fixed Satellite Service)
Ka	26.5 to 40 GHz	High resolution and close range targeting radars

Satellite Systems

Remote Sensing Satellites

Remote Sensing is the acquiring of information from a distance. Satellites that are used for such purposes are called Remote Sensing Satellites.
These satellites are
- Placed in Polar Orbits.
- Sun-Synchronous (so that illuminance of the point is the same)
- Revolves around the Earth in low earth orbit (900 Km)
Spaceborne remote sensing is better than ground surveys and airborne sensing because it is
1. Cheaper
2. Speedier
3. More Accurate
4. Reliable
5. Multidimensional
IRS-1A, launched in 1988, was India’s first remote sensing satellite. Present examples include Cartosat, Resourcesat, Scatsat, Oceansat, Saral etc.

Applications of Remote Sensing Satellites

1. Defence

These satellites act as the ‘Spy in the Sky’ and are used for reconnaissance.
They can easily pick up the troop movement and deployments by the enemy.

2. Agriculture

Remote Sensing Satellites can be used to
1. Assess net crop area.
2. Movement of locust.
3. Damage assessments.
India is divided into 15 Agro-climatic zones based on data from IRS 1A and 1B.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is also using the data of these satellites to estimate crop damages.

3. Disaster Management

They are used for
1. Early warning of cyclones, floods etc.
2. Monitoring of forest fires.

4. Natural Resource Management

Remote Sensing Satellites are used in
1. Land use mapping
2. Mineral prospecting
3. Forest surveys

5. Urban Studies

They are used in
1. Mapping urban sprawl.
2. Structural plans for cities.

6. Governance

Geotagging of all the assets created under schemes like MNREGA, RKVY etc., can be done using these satellites.

7. Fisheries

By analyzing the colour of the ocean, surface temperature and wind conditions from the oceans, it is possible to identify areas in the sea where the fish school will assemble.

Side Topic: BHUVAN

BHUVAN is an application developed by ISRO using data provided by Indian Remote Sensing Satellites like Resourcesat, Cartosat-1 and Cartosat-2. National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) played an essential role in its creation.
It provides medium to high-resolution imagery, with spatial resolution ranging from 10-100 metres, of entire India over the internet.
The portal is designed to run even on slow internet. Images of Bhuvan includes weather information, administrative boundaries etc.

List of Remote Sensing Satellites

Starting from IRS 1A, ISRO has launched many Remote Sensing Satellites, including HysIS, ScatSat, Cartosat etc.
Initially, ISRO used to name its Remote Sensing Satellites as 1A, 1B etc. Later, it started to name these satellites based on the application of the satellites like CartoSat, OceanSat etc.

Important Indian Remote Sensing Satellites are as follows:-

1 . SARAL

SARAL= Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa.
It is an Indo-French satellite.
It was launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Application: meteorology, oceanography, climate monitoring etc.

2. Megha Tropiques

It is an Indo-French Joint Venture.
It was launched in 2011 using PSLV.
Application: Study the tropical atmosphere and climate-related aspects such as monsoons, cyclones, etc.

3. NISAR

NISAR = NASA-India Synthetic Aperture Radar
Project was started in 2019. The satellite was completed in 2023 and has been sent to India to be launched from Satish Dhawan Launch Station.
It is India’s first radar imaging satellite.
NISAR is a combined mission of NASA (of USA) and ISRO (of India).
Main features
- It is a dual-frequency (L and S-Band) Radar Imaging Satellite.
- NISAR is an Earth-monitoring satellite. NISAR will take images of the Earth every week. It is strong enough to take images of a tectonic plate and small changes in land use patterns.
- Landslides, volcanoes, drought, flood, etc., can be easily be observed through NISAR.
- Its application includes mapping and monitoring natural resources, assessing soil moisture, mangroves, surface deformation due to seismic activities, etc.

4. Spadex Mission

Spadex Mission constitutes two satellites – SDX01 or Chaser and SDX02 or Target and acts as a technology demonstrator mission to demonstrate in-space docking.
Docking is a process where two satellites are aligned and then joined in space. This technology is essential for India’s space ambitions, such as Indian astronauts on the Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc.
The mission will constitute the following.
1. Align in the same orbit
2. Reduce distance between each other
3. Join and transfer electrical power between them.
4. Then separate.
5. After they separate, payloads on both satellites will continue to function for two years.
Satellites will be launched using a PSLV launch vehicle.
India is the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology.

5. Cartosat Series

Cartography is the science of drawing maps.
Cartosat satellites: Cartosat series are earth observation satellites in a sun-synchronous orbit. They have high-resolution cameras installed on them. The imagery sent by Satellite is useful for cartographic (drawing maps) applications.

5.1 Cartosat-2

Cartosat-2 was launched in 2017.
In 104 satellite launches, this was the primary Satellite.
It is primarily meant for military requirements (hence, it can be said that ISRO is moving from Civilian to Military uses too).

5.2 Cartosat 2s

It was launched in 2018.
It was launched using PSLV-40, which was India’s 100th launch, along with 30 other satellites.

5.3 Cartosat 3

Cartosat 3 satellite has high-resolution imaging capability.
Application: It is used for large scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover along with Disaster Management Support Programs like Cyclone and Flood Mapping & Monitoring, Landslide Mapping & Monitoring, Agricultural Drought, Forest Fire, Earthquakes etc.

6. RISAT Series

RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) is series of Indian satellites providing all weather, day and night imaging.

6.1 RISAT 1

Launched in 2012
Provide high resolution images for agriculture, forestry, disaster management.

6.2 RISAT-2

Launched in 2009
Launched in aftermath of 2008 Mumbai attack, it was intended to provide border surveillance and deter terrorist infiltration

6.3 RISAT-2B

Launched in 2019
Provide earth observation intended to improve agriculture, forestry, and disaster management services.

6.4 RISAT-2BR1

Launched in 2020
Applications same as RISAT-2B

7. EOS-01

EOS = Earth Observation Satellite .
Launched in November 2020 in Polar Orbit using PSLV launch vehicle (PSLV-C49).
Applications: Agriculture, forestry and disaster management.

8. EMISAT

DRDO developed EMISAT under Project Kautilya.
It is India’s first Electronic Intelligence Satellite.
Application: EMISAT is meant for electromagnetic spectrum measurement and provides information to armed forces about hostile radars placed at the borders.

9. SCATSAT

It is a weather satellite that mainly focuses on Cyclone formation.
It has replaced the (earlier) Oceansat.

10. Oceansat Series

Oceansat 1 (1999) , Oceansat 2 (2009) and Oceansat 3 (2022) have been launched till date. Latest, Oceansat 3 was launched in 2022.
It is a sun-synchronous satellite.
Oceansat satellites are designed and developed for ocean studies.

11. Kalam Global Sat

It is a global satellite for Disaster Risk Reduction.
It was launched at UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held at Sendai in Japan in March 2015.

12. HySIS

HySIS is India’s first Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite (HySIS).
It was launched with PSLV in Polar Orbit.
Hyperspectral Imaging Technology combines the power of digital imaging and spectroscopy. Hence, every pixel in the image contains much more detailed information about the scene than a standard colour camera. It is used for mineral prospecting, soil survey, coastal water studies etc.

Side Topic: Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS)

ISRO plans to launch a set of satellites that will track, send and receive information from other Indian Satellites.
IDRSS satellites will be of 2,000 kg class and will be launched using GSLV launcher to geostationary orbit around 36,000 km away.
In the coming years, these satellites will be vital to ISRO, whose roadmap includes advanced LEO missions such as space docking, space station, and distant expeditions to the moon, Mars and Venus.

Geosynchronous Satellites

INSAT and GSAT are the backbones of Indian Geosynchronous Satellite systems.

Ford Aerospace Corporation of USA built the INSAT series under contract.
GSAT series is an indigenous system developed by ISRO to make India self-reliant in broadcasting services.

Applications

India is considered a leader in the application of space technology to solve problems on Earth.

1. Telecommunication

Satellites are responsible for the communication revolution in India.
Using satellites, remote and far-flung areas have been effectively connected.

2. Television

India uses geostationary satellites to provide DTH (Direct to Home) services all over the country.

3. Disaster Management & Meteorology

Satellites can be used to provide

Warning mechanism for the cyclone.
Short term weather forecasting.
Impact assessment for droughts and floods.
Geosynchronous satellites can also be used in satellite aided search & rescue.

4. Navigation

All the navigation systems like GPS, GLONASS, NAVIC, Galileo etc., use geosynchronous and geostationary satellites.

Important Geosynchronous satellites of ISRO

Earlier, India used the INSAT series, but now the GSAT series is used. INSAT 1 and 2 series (except INSAT 2E) has expired, but many INSAT 3 and 4 series satellites are still functional.

1. INSAT-3

INSAT-3A was launched in 2003 using the Arianne launch vehicle, followed by INSAT-3B and 3C.
INSAT-3 satellites have C and Ku band transponders and were meant for communication purposes.

2. INSAT-4

INSAT-4A was launched in 2005 using the Arianne launch vehicle, followed by INSAT-4B.
These satellites are used for telecast purposes. E.g., INSAT-4A is used by TATA Sky and INSAT-4B is used by Sun Direct and DD Direct.

3. CMS-01

CMS-01 is the communication satellite launched by ISRO in December 2020.
It has replaced GSAT-12, which was launched by India in 2011 and was India’s primary communication satellite.
It will provide telecommunication services to mainland India as well as Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

4. Kalpana 1

It was launched in 2002 using PSLV (weighing around 1060 kg).
It is India’s exclusive meteorological Satellite and was initially named MetSat.

5. GSAT-7

GSAT 7 series satellites are advanced satellites developed by ISRO to meet the communication needs of the defence services. The satellites of GSAT 7 series include

GSAT 7 satellite (launched in 2013) is mainly used by the Indian Navy for its communication needs.
GSAT 7A (launched in 2018) helps in boosting the connectivity between the ground radar stations, airbases and the airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) of the IAF (Indian Air Force).
GSAT 7B (to be launched shortly) will primarily fulfil the communication needs of the Army and enhance surveillance in border areas.

6. SAARC or South-Asian Satellite / GSAT-9

PM Narendra Modi announced it at the SAARC Summit of 2014, and it was launched in 2017 using a GSLV launch vehicle.
It points to India’s having started to use space diplomacy to strengthen the “neighbours first policy”.
It is a communication satellite with Ku band transponders. South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan, will get at least 1 Ku transponder each. It will provide the nations with capability in teleeducation, telemedicine, broadcasting, Direct-to-Home services (DTH) and VSAT capacity.
It was the first Indian Satellite to use Electric Propulsion.
India has borne all the other costs for the launch of the satellite.

7. GSAT-11

It was launched in Dec 2018.
It is the ISRO’s heaviest Satellite (5855 kg).
GSAT-11 is aimed at providing broadband internet from space to untouched areas.

8. GSAT – 29

It was launched in 2017 with Indian Launcher GSLV Mk – III with operational Cryogenic Stage from Sriharikota (first Satellite to be launched with GSLV MK III – Earlier all GSATs were launched with the help of French Agency Ariane Aerospace.)
Application: Drive India’s Broadband Internet from space to the untouched areas by providing the throughput data rate of 16 Gbps.

Some Satellites of other countries

1. Amazonia 1

Amazonia-1 is a Brazilian satellite launched by ISRO using PSLV (C51).
It is a sun-synchronous remote sensing satellite that will be preliminary used for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon forests.

2. Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Satellite

NASA has launched the LCRD, the first Satellite to use a laser communication system. Till now, radio communication has been used to transmit data via satellites.
It is advantageous because it uses optical communication, which uses a shorter wavelength can transmit more data in a shorter time. Moreover, optical communication systems are lighter and are cheaper to launch.

3. Ravana 1

The Sri-Lankan satellite was launched with Japanese (JAXA) help.

4. Ibuki 2

Japanese satellite to observe Greenhouse Gases.

Mission Shakti – Anti Satellite Missile

What is Mission Shakti?

Mission Shakti is an Anti-Satellite Missile.
It is made by DRDO (not ISRO).
It is the modified version of the Ballistic Interceptor Missile.
It can detect, target & destroy space objects.
To show it’s working, an obsolete (Indian) satellite at 300 km was tracked with sensors and destroyed.

Note: Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing any weapon in earth orbit or on the celestial body. But none of the treaties is against such tests.

Importance

It has made India a Space Power as India is the 4th country after the US (1958), Russia (1964) & China (2007) to have this capability.
It will create a ‘credible deterrence‘ against attacks on India’s growing space assets (especially China).
It will help India to avoid any chance of repeating the experience of what happened in the nuclear domain. If NPT-like mechanisms come in the space domain, India will be on the safer side.

Against

It has created huge space debris. Earlier, 2007 Chinese tests produced 2000 space debris. NASA criticized India for the creation of Space Debris.
It will lead to Arms Race in Asia. Pakistan will get an excuse to get this technology from China to claim parity.

ISRO and Indian Space Program

by admin

Last Updated: Jan 2025 (ISRO and Indian Space Program)

ISRO and Indian Space Program

This article deals with ‘ISRO and Indian Space Program.’ This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here

Evolution of World Space Journey

Timeline of developments in the Space Technology

Space Program of India

Indian Space Program is operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Vikram Sarabhai is known as the father of the Indian Space Program.

Objectives of Space Program

India has historically viewed space technology applications primarily for societal development. Hence, the objectives of the Indian Space Program are

Using Space Technology for the socio-economic benefit of people.
Make India self-reliant in space technology.
Peaceful use of outer space.

Indian Space Policy, 2023

Vision behind the Policy

To augment space capabilities
Unlocking India’s potential in the Space sector through enhanced private participation.
Use space as a driver of technology development.

Under the policy, different stakeholders are assigned the following roles to achieve the above vision

Government	– Encourage advanced research & development. – Provide a stable and predictable regulatory framework.
Non-Govt Entities (NGEs)	– Offer space-based communication services. – Establish and operate ground facilities for space object operations.
Dept of Space	– Nodal department for implementation of the Indian Space Policy-2023.
ISRO	– Focus primarily on research and development. – Share products, processes, technologies, and best practices with Non Government Entities (NGEs).
IN-SPACe	– Work with industry to establish India as a preferred service provider at the global level.
NSIL	– Responsible for commercializing space technologies and platforms created through public expenditure.

Department of Space (DoS)

Nodal Agency for Space-related activities in India is the Department of Space (DoS).
ISRO is the primary R&D wing of DoS.
Other Agencies of DoS include

Physical Research Lab (PRL)	Ahmedabad
Semi Conductor Lab	Chandigarh
National Atmospheric Research Lab	Chittor
North Eastern Space Applications Centre	Shillong

ISRO

It is the primary body of Space Research under the Department of Space.
Present Chairman = Dr S Somnath
It is headquartered in Bangalore.

Timeline

1961	Space Research started under the Department of Atomic Energy under Homi Bhabha.
1962	Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCSR) established & worked to establish TERLS (Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Centre) started.
1969	ISRO was formed.
1972	– Department of Space (independent department) formed. – ISRO was brought under the Department of Space.
1975	Aryabhatta – the first Indian satellite was launched (with Soviet Launch Vehicle).
1980	Rohini – the first satellite was launched using Indian Launch Vehicle.

Regional Centres of ISRO

ISRO has its various regional centres like

ISRO Satellite Application Centre, Bengaluru (ISAC): Design and fabricate satellites.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram (VSSC): Develop satellite launch vehicles (like PSLV and GSLV).
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SDSC): Satellite launching station of India.
Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad (SAC): Conceptualize and carry out different space research projects.
Liquid Propulsion System Centre, Mahendragiri, TN (LPSC): Development of satellite propulsion systems.
ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network, Bengaluru (ISTRAC)
Master Control Facility, Bhopal and Hassan (Karnataka): Observe and control all geostationary satellites.
National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad: Act as a key player in earth observation program and disaster management.

Side Topic: Equivalent of ISRO of other nations

USA	NASA
Russia	RKA
China	CNSA
Europe	ESA
Japan	JAXA

Antrix

Antrix is the private arm of ISRO.
It was incorporated in 1992 and awarded ‘Miniratna‘ status in 2008.
Its main functions include
1. Promotion and commercialization of space products.
2. Providing technical consultancy services.
3. Deals with the transfer of technologies developed by ISRO.
4. It also offers various services and space products to international customers worldwide.

New Space India Limited (NSIL)

NSIL is the commercial arm of ISRO.
It was incorporated in 2019 as a Government-owned enterprise.
It is responsible for commercializing space technologies and platforms created through public expenditure. E.g, Providing launch services for satellites.
The launch of a Brazilian satellite named ‘Amazonia-1’ in 2021 was the first commercial deal of NSIL.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACE)

It is headquartered in Ahmedabad.
It is an independent nodal agency.
IN-SPACE has its own directorates for technical, legal, safety and security, monitoring and activities promotion.
IN-SPACE acts as an interface between ISRO and Non-Government entities.
It aims to stimulate private investment and innovation in the space industry.
The government has also set up Rs. 1000 crore Venture Capital Fund under IN-SPACE to fund space start-ups.

Satellite Launching Stations / Launch Pads

Presently, India has only one launch station at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh with two launch pads.
India is building its second rocket launch station in the Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu.
Note: Satellite launching stations (including that of India) is located on the east coast and as close to the equator as possible due to the following reasons:-
- The Earth’s rotation provides an additional boost, and the strength of the boost is higher closer to the equator.
- In case of failure, debris would fall into the Bay of Bengal, potentially saving property and lives.

Side Topic: Satellite Launch Stations of other countries

USA	Cape Canaveral (Florida)
France	French Guyana (in South America)
Iran	Emamshahr
China	Jiquan
Japan	Uchinoura
Russia	Kapustin Yar

Achievements of Indian Space Program

India has emerged as one of the 6 most important countries in the field of space research.
India is self-reliant in launching remote sensing and communication platforms.
With GSLV MK-III, India is now in the elite club which can launch heavy Geo-Stationary Communication Satellites.
World Record was created by ISRO by launching 104 Satellites in a single launch.
ISRO is launching satellites for other countries as well and earning foreign exchange (Eg: Amazonia-1 (Brazil).
Space program contributes to national security in the form of improving surveillance capability.
The space program is helping India emerge as technological power and knowledge-based economy.

Challenges to Indian Space Program

Indian Space Program needs to move from research and development to a commercial level.
India should boost the frequency of launches. This will reduce the cost & make it cost-competitive.
There is a need to develop capabilities to build a much larger number of satellites than the current 3-4 per year.
Most of the space launches are for socio-economic development. ISRO needs to move ahead and work for the country’s military and defence needs as well.

Side Topic: Cases in news

Nambi Narayanan Case

In 1994, Nambi Narayanan, who was working on Cryogenic Engine and was on the verge of making it, was arrested for selling secrets. CBI later found that the charges were false, and he was discharged in 1996. The case was fabricated by IB Officials in connivance with the CIA because the US didn’t want India to develop a Cryogenic Engine as it would have challenged the monopoly of the US, Russia, and France.

Devas Antrix Case

In 2005, Antrix Corporation signed an agreement with Devas Multimedia to lease S-band transponders on two ISRO satellites (GSAT 6 and GSAT 6A) for a price of ₹1,400 crore, which is significantly lower than the market price. In 2009, the Devas – Antrix deal was exposed. This was named Antrix – Devas S-band spectrum scam. After a CBI investigation, the deal was annulled. Subsequently, Devas made an appeal in the International Court, which has declared that the annulling of the agreement by the Government of India was “unfair” and inequitable”.

Glance at ISRO’s flagship missions

1 . Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)

IRNSS or NAVIC is India’s indigenous GPS.
It is already operational.

2. Reusable Satellite Launch Vehicle

This mission will reduce the cost of delivering satellites into orbit to 1/10th of the present cost.

3. Cryogenic Engine (GSLV MK III)

GSLV MK III with Cryogenic Stage has been developed successfully.
It can be used to launch payloads of up to 4 tonnes into the geostationary orbit.

4. Chandrayaan 2

After the unprecedented success of Chandrayaan-1, ISRO decided to launch Chandrayaan-2 in July 2019.
It had Rover and Lander.
Mission achieved a partial success.

ISRO-CHANDRAYAAN 2 (3D Animation)

CHANDRAYAANØ
Expanding the boundaries Of human knowledge

5. Aditya Space Satellite

Aditya Mission aims to study the Corona of Sun.
It has been successfully placed in the halo orbit around L1 (Lagrangian Point)

6. Venus Exploration Program/ Shukrayaan

Mission was approved in 2024 and is scheduled to be launched in March 2028
The Venus mission is meant to study the planet from an orbit around it.
Venus is often called Earth’s twin because it is similar in mass, density, and size. Therefore, studying Venus may offer scientists clues about the evolution of Earth.
France is also collaborating with India on its mission to Venus.

7. Gaganyaan

Gaganyaan is a 3-ton ISRO spaceship to carry a 3-member crew to 400km for 3 days and safe return to the Earth after a few orbits to two days. Mission is likely in 2026.
The extendable version of the spaceship will allow flights up to 7 days and have docking capability with space stations.

8. Second Launch Station

India is building its second rocket launch station in the Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu.
The project will house one launchpad exclusively for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV).
Presently, India has only one launch station at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh with two launch pads.

9. Space Parks

The government is making a 100-acre Space Park in Bangalore.
Private industry players would be allowed to set up facilities to make subsystems and components for satellites.

10. Village Resource Centre

473 Village Resource Centres (VRCs) have been established by ISRO.
It uses Satellite Communication (SATCOM) network and Earth Observation (EO) satellites.
VRCs provide services like telemedicine (by connecting sick people in villages through VSAT network to the doctors), Tele-education (providing a virtual classroom facility to far-flung villages), and providing advisories related to agriculture.
There is a need to upscale VRCs and link all village Panchayats.

Outreach Programs of ISRO

YUVIKA Program: Program aims to inculcate and nurture space research enthusiasm in young minds. Under this 1-month program, 3 students from each of state and UT is selected provided that the student has just finished 9th standard and is waiting to join 10th standard.
Young Scientist Program: It is an ISRO program for school students aiming to teach and nurture space research fervour in young minds.
Samvad with Students: Under the ISRO program called Samvad with Students, the ISRO chairman meets the students during his outstation visits, addresses their queries, and quenches the scientific thrust.
ISRO-Student Collaborations: ANUSAT (Anna University Satellite), Student Satellite (STUDSAT), SRMSAT (SRM University), Jugnu (IIT Kanpur) etc.

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