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SPACE ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA

1. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
• The VSSC at Thiruvananthapuram is the largest among the ISRO facilities for the development of
satellite launch vehicles and associated technology. The centre had its beginnings as the Thumba
Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962. It was renamed in honour of Dr. Vikram
Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program.
• November 21, 1963 marked India’s first venture into space, with the launch of a two-stage Nike
Apache sounding rocket from TERLS. The first rockets launched were built in United States.
• The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre is one of the main research and development establishments
within ISRO. VSSC is an entirely indigenous facility working on the development of sounding rockets,

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the Rohini and Menaka launchers, and the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and GSLV Mk III families
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of launch vehicles.
• The VSSC pursues research and development in the fields of aeronautics, avionics, composites,
computer and information technology, control guidance and simulation, launch vehicle design,
mechanical engineering, mechanisms vehicle integration and testing, propellants polymers and materials,
propulsion propellants and space ordnance, and systems reliability.
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• Current focus of VSSC is on the (GSLV), the GSLV Mk III and the Reusable Launch Vehicle-
Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD).
• VSSC also has programs focused on applications of space technology including village resource
centres, telemedicine, tele-education, disaster management support and outreach through Direct To
Home television broadcast.
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2. ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC)

• The ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) is the leading centre of ISRO for design, development, fabrication
and testing of all Indian made satellites. It was established in the year of 1972 as Indian Scientific
Satellite Project (ISSP) in Bengaluru.
• The centre has produced more than 50 satellites including the INSAT series, the Indian Remote
Sensing series, as well as the GSAT communication satellites. Organisations under the umbrella of
ISAC include the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS) and the ISRO Satellite Integration
and Testing Establishment (ISITE).
• The LEOS is mainly responsible for research, development and production of Sensors for ISRO
programmes. The ISITE houses all facilities for building a spacecraft under-one-roof. It provides
necessary support for testing sub-systems and spacecraft to meet the requirements of space environment.
3. Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)/ Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR)
• Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR) is a rocket launch
centre of ISRO. It is located in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Features like a good launch azimuth
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corridor for various missions, nearness to the equator (benefiting eastward launches), and large
uninhabited area for a safety zone make it an ideal spaceport.
• The SHAR facility now consists of two launch pads, with the second built in 2005. The second
launch pad was used for launches beginning in 2005 and is a universal launch pad, accommodating
all of the launch vehicles used by ISRO. The two launch pads will allow multiple launches in a single
year, which was not possible earlier.
• SHAR will be the main base for the Indian human spaceflight program. A new third launch pad will
be built specifically to meet the target of launching a manned space mission by 2017.
4. Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC)
• Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is the lead Centre for development and realization of
earth-to-orbit advanced propulsion stages for Launch Vehicles and also the in-space propulsion systems
for Spacecrafts. It is involved in the development of liquid and cryogenic propulsion for launch
vehicles and satellites.

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• The LPSC activities and facilities are spread across its two campuses viz., LPSC Headquarters and
Design Offices and Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Unit.
•
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LPSC is engaged in development of liquid and cryogenic propulsion stages for launch vehicles and
auxiliary propulsion systems for both launch vehicles and satellites. Activities related to liquid propulsion
stages, cryogenic propulsion stages and control systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft is done at
Thiruvananthapuram. Precision fabrication facilities, development of transducers and integration of
satellite propulsion systems are carried out at Bangalore. The developmental and flight tests along
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with assembly and integration are done at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.
5. Space Applications Centre (SAC)
• The SAC focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions and development and
operationalisation of applications of space technology for societal benefits. It is engaged in the
development of pay loads for communication, broadcasting, navigation, disaster monitoring,
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meteorology, oceanography, environment monitoring and natural resources survey.

• This includes research and development of on-board systems, ground systems and end user equipment
hardware and software. Some of the achievements of the Space Applications Centre include
development of communication and meteorological payloads for INSAT satellites, optical and
microwave payloads for IRS satellites.
• SAC provides its infrastructure to conduct training courses to the students of the Center for Space
Science and Technology Education in Asia and The Pacific (CSSTEAP). SAC has three campuses,
two of which are located at Ahmedabad and one at Delhi.
6. Antrix Corporation Limited
• Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL) is a wholly owned Government of India Company, under the
administrative control of Department of Space (DOS). It is the apex marketing agency under DOS
with access to resources of DOS as well as Indian space industries.
• Antrix promotes and commercially markets the products and services emanating from the Indian
Space Programme. In the year 2008, the Company was awarded ‘MINIRATNA’ status. The current
business activities of Antrix are as follows:
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a) Provisioning of communication satellite transponders to various users,

b) Providing launch services for customer satellites,
c) Marketing of data from Indian and foreign remote sensing satellites,
d) Building and marketing of satellites as well as satellite sub-systems,
e) Establishing ground infrastructure for space applications, and
f) Mission support services for satellites.

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OR
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TERMINOLOGIES RELATED
TO THE SPACE SCIENCE
TERMS RELATED TO THE PATH OF THE SATELLITE
1) Apogee: It is a point on the orbit where vertical distance of the satellite from the Earth’s surface is
maximum. The maximum distance of the satellite from Earth’s surface is also called apogee of the orbit
of the satellite.
2) Perigee: It is a point on the orbit where vertical distance of the satellite from the Earth’s surface is
smallest. The smallest distance of the satellite from the Earth’s surface is also called perigee of the orbit
of the satellite.

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3) Inclination: The angle between the plane of orbit of the satellite and plane of the equator of Earth is
called inclination of the orbit.

1)
TYPES OF ORBITS
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Polar Orbits - A polar orbit is one in which a satellite passes above or nearly above both poles of the
body being orbited (usually a planet such as the Earth) on each revolution.
– These orbits have an inclination near 90 degrees. This allows the satellite to see virtually every part
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of the Earth as the Earth rotates underneath it. The important features of the satellites revolving in
polar orbits are as follows:
• A satellite in a polar orbit will pass over the equator at a different longitude on each of its orbits.
• It takes approximately 90 minutes for the satellite to complete one orbit.
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– These satellites have many uses like measuring ozone concentrations in the stratosphere or measuring
temperatures in the atmosphere; earth mapping and observation; reconnaissance; study of weather
etc.
2) Sun Synchronous Orbits – A satellite whose time period is such that it makes exactly an integral number
of revolutions (usually 13, 14 or 15) around earth in 24 hours. After passing over a certain place on Earth,
next day it will again pass over the same place at the same time of day.
– While Earth spins one rotation, relative to sun in 24 hours, the satellite makes an accurately integral
number of revolutions. Thus, satellite will be able to look at that place and photograph it on consecutive
days in identical illumination, Sun being in the same position relative to that place. Such an orbit is
called a sun-synchronous orbit & the satellite moving in this orbit is called a sun-synchronous satellite.
The important features of the satellites moving in the sun synchronous orbits are as follows:
• These orbits allow a satellite to pass over a section of the Earth at the same time of day. Since
there are 365 days in a year and 360° in a circle, it means that the satellite has to shift its orbit
by approximately 1° per day.
• These satellites orbit at an altitude between 700 to 800 km.
– These satellites are very important for military and remote sensing purposes.
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3) Geosynchronous Orbits/ Geostationary Orbit - The satellites in these orbits circle the Earth at the same
rate as the Earth spins. The orbit of such satellite is in the plane of equator, i.e. its inclination is 0o, at
a height of about 36,000 km above the equator and keeps this distance constant.
– Thus, it is a circular orbit. Hence, relative to any location on earth, the position of the satellite is stationary.
This orbit is called geo-stationary orbit. A satellite revolving in this orbit is called a geo-stationary satellite.
The important features of the satellites moving in the geostationary orbits are as follows:
• Geosynchronous orbits allow the satellite to observe almost a full hemisphere of the Earth.
These satellites are used to study large scale phenomenon such as hurricanes, or cyclones.
• These orbits are also used for communication satellites. The disadvantage of this type of orbit
is that since these satellites are very far away, they have poor resolution. The other disadvantage
is that these satellites have trouble monitoring activities near the poles.
4) Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – The Low Earth Orbit extends from 200 km. to 1200 km. It means that it is
relatively low in altitude, although well above anything that a conventional aircraft can reach. However
LEO is still very close to the Earth, especially when compared to other forms of satellite orbit including
geostationary orbit. The important features of the Low Earth Orbit are as follows:
–

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Orbit times are much less than for many other forms of orbit.
OR
– Less energy is expended placing the satellites in LEO than higher orbits.
– The lower orbit means the satellite and user are closer together and therefore path losses a less than
for other orbits such as GEO.
– LEO satellites have shorter life spans than others
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– Some speed reduction may be experienced as a result of friction from the low, but measurable levels
of gasses, especially at lower altitudes.
– Radiation levels are lower than experienced at higher altitudes.
• A variety of different types of satellite use the LEO orbit levels. These include different types
and applications including communications satellites, earth monitoring satellites etc.
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• The International Space Station is in an LEO that varies between 320 km. (199 miles) and 400
km. (249 miles) above the Earth’s surface.
Space Debris in LEO – Apart from the general congestion experienced in Low Earth Orbit, the situation
is made much worse by the general level of space debris that exists. There is a real and growing risk of
collision and major damage - any collisions themselves are likely to create further space debris.
5) Medium Earth Orbits (MEO) – They are in between LEO and geostationary orbits & operate about
8,000-20,000 km. above the earth. They are placed in an elliptical orbit.
– The orbit is basically used for communication satellites.
– Examples include GPS and Global Communication and Orblink.
LAUNCH VEHICLES
1) ASLV:
• Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) was developed to act as a low cost intermediate vehicle
to demonstrate and validate critical technologies.
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• With a lift off weight of 40 tonnes, the 23.8 m tall ASLV was configured as a 5 stage, all-solid
propellant vehicle, with a mission of orbiting 150 kg class satellites into 400 km circular orbits.
• The strap-on stage consisted of 2 identical 1m diameter solid propellant motors, Under the ASLV
programme 4 developmental flights were conducted.
• ASLV provided valuable inputs for further development.
2) PSLV
• The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, usually known as PSLV is the 1st operational launch vehicle of
ISRO.
• PSLV is capable of launching 1600 kg satellites in 620 km. sun-synchronous polar orbit and 1050 kg.
satellite in Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• In the standard configuration, it measures 44.4 m. tall, with a lift off weight of 295 tonnes.

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• PSLV has 4 stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. The 1st stage is one of the
largest solid propellant boosters in the world and carries 139 tonnes of propellant.
•

•
2 are air-lit.
OR
A cluster of 6 strap-ons attached to the 1st stage motor, 4 of which are ignited on the ground and

The reliability rate of PSLV has been superb. With its variant configurations, PSLV has proved its
multi-payload, multi-mission capability in a single launch and its Geosynchronous launch capability.
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3) GSLV Mk I & II
• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-Mark I&II , is capable of placing INSAT-II class
of satellites (2000 - 2,500 kg) into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV is a 3 stage vehicle
GSLV is 49 m tall, with 4141 lift off weight.
• It has a maximum diameter of 3.4 m at the payload fairing. 1st stage comprises S125 solid booster
with four liquid (L40) strap-ons. 2nd stage (GS2) is liquid engine and the 3rd stage (GS3) is a cryo
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stage. The vehicle develops a lift off thrust of 6573 km.

4) GSLV Mk III
• The GSLV-III or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III is a launch vehicle currently
under development by the Indian Space Research Organization.
• GSLV Mk III is conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self reliant in launching heavier
communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4500 to 5000 kg.
• It would also enhance the capability of the country to be a competitive player in the multimillion
dollar commercial launch market.
• The vehicle envisages multi-mission launch capability for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular
orbits.
5) Reusable Launch Vehicle
• A reusable launch system (or reusable launch vehicle, RLV) is a launch system which is capable of
launching a launch vehicle into space more than once. This contrasts with expendable launch systems,
where each launch vehicle is launched once and then discarded.
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• Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) Programme of ISRO is planned as a

series of technology demonstration missions that have been considered as a first step towards realising
a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully reusable vehicle.
• A Winged RLV-TD has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies
using air breathing propulsion. These technologies will be developed in phases through a series of
experimental flights.
• Hypersonic experiment (HEX) flight, the first in the series of experimental flights, will be followed
by the Landing experiment (LEX), Return flight experiment (REX) and Scramjet Propulsion experiment
(SPEX).
• RLV-TD HEX1 is planned to demonstrate the hypersonic aerothermo dynamic characterisation of
winged re-entry body, autonomous mission management to land at a specified location and
characterisation of hot structures.
• Application of these technologies would bring down the launch cost by a factor of 10.

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Scramjet Engine – TD
• The first experimental mission of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine towards the realisation of an Air Breathing
Propulsion System was successfully conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
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• The Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air
as the oxidiser. This test was the maiden short duration experimental test of ISRO’s Scramjet engine with
a hypersonic flight at Mach 6. ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced
sounding rocket, was the solid rocket booster used for the test of Scramjet engines at supersonic conditions. 
ATV carrying Scramjet engines weighed 3277 kg at lift-off.
Space Junk
Debris in orbit can come from many sources:
• Exploding rockets - This leaves behind the most debris in space.
• The slip of an astronaut’s hand - Suppose an astronaut doing repair in space drops a wrench — it’s gone
forever. The wrench then goes into orbit, probably at a speed of something like 6 miles per second.
If the wrench hits any vehicle carrying a human crew, the results could be disastrous. Larger objects
like a space station make a larger target for space junk, and so are at greater risk.
• Jettisoned items - Parts of launch canisters, camera lens caps, etc.

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Items initially placed into high orbits stay in space the longest.

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The European Space Agency tracks more than 7,500 orbiting items with a width of 4 inches (10 centimeters)
or more. Space debris may also be a reason why space shuttles typically orbited with their windows to the
rear. This protected the astronauts onboard, at least to some degree.
A special NASA satellite called Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was put in orbit to study the long-
term effects of collisions with space junk. The LDEF was later brought back to Earth via a space shuttle
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for analysis.
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TYPES OF SATELLITES
A satellite is a moon, planet or machine that orbits a planet or star. For example, Earth is a satellite because
it orbits the sun. Likewise, the moon is a satellite because it orbits Earth. Usually, the word “satellite” refers
to a machine that is launched into space and moves around Earth or another body in space.
Earth and the moon are examples of natural satellites. Thousands of artificial, or man-made, satellites orbit
Earth.
A. Astronomical Satellites
• These satellites are used for the observation of distant stars and other objects in space. India’s
envisioned ASTROSAT is an Astronomical satellite.

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• The most famous astronomical satellite is the Hubble Telescope. Although now reaching the end of
its life it has enabled scientists to see many things that would otherwise not have been possible.
OR
Astronomy Satellites have many Different Applications:
• They can be used to make star maps.
• They can be used to study mysterious phenomena such as Black holes and Quasars.
• They can be used to take pictures of the planets in the solar system.
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• They can be used to make maps of different planetary surfaces.

B. Communications Satellites
• These satellites possibly form the greatest number of satellites that are in orbit. They are used for
communicating over large distances. INSAT and GSAT of India comes under this category.
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• The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) systems which are placed in Geo-stationary orbits are one of
the largest domestic communication satellite systems in Asia-Pacific region.
• The height of the satellite above the Earth enables the satellites to communicate over vast distances,
and thereby overcoming the curvature of the Earth’s surface.
Even within the communications field there are a number of sub-categories.
• Some satellites are used for point to point telecommunications links, others are used for mobile
communications, and there are those used for direct broadcast. There are even some satellites used
for mobile phone style communications.
C. Earth Observation Satellites
• These satellites are used for observing the earth’s surface and as a result they are often termed
geographical satellites. India’s IRS and RESOURCESAT are part of this.
• The data is used for several applications covering agriculture, water resources, urban development,
mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster
management.
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• Using these satellites it is possible to see many features that are not obvious from the earth’s surface,
or even at the altitudes at which aircraft fly.
• Using these earth observation satellites many geographical features have become obvious and they
have even been used in mineral search and exploitation.
D. Navigation Satellites
• In recent years, satellites have been used for accurate navigation. The 1st system known as GPS
(Global Positioning System) was set up by the USA and was primarily intended for use as a highly
accurate military system. Since then, it has been adopted by a huge number of commercial and
private users including India.
• India launched its own navigation satellite in the name of IRNSS-Indian Regional Navigation Satellite
System.
E. Reconnaissance Satellites:

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• These satellites are able to see objects on the ground and are accordingly used for military purposes.
As such their performance and operation is kept secret and not publicized. DRONES are part of
reconnaissance system.
F. Weather Satellites
•
OR
As the name implies these satellites are used to monitor the weather. They have helped considerably
in the forecasting of the weather and have helped provide a much better understanding not only of
the underlying phenomena, but also in enabling predictions to be made.
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• India’s Kalpana-1 and INSAT-3A are part of this.
G. Student Satellites
• ISRO has influenced educational institutions by its activities like making satellites for communication,
remote sensing and astronomy. The launch of Chandrayaan-1 increased the interest of universities
and institutions towards making experimental student satellites. Capable Universities and institution
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can venture into space technology on orbit with guidance and support from ISRO in following ways:
• Every satellite carries a payload that performs the intended function to achieve the mission goal and
the main bus that supports the payload function. The Development of payloads may comprise of
detectors, electronics and associated algorithms, which can be an experimental piggy back payload on
the ISRO’s on-going (Small or operational) satellite projects.
• Example- ANUSAT, STUDSAT, YOUTHSAT, Jugnu, SRMsat.
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INDIA SATELLITE PROGRAMMES

INSAT
The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems
in Asia-Pacific region with nine operational communication satellites placed in Geo-stationary orbit. Established
in 1983 with commissioning of INSAT-1B, it initiated a major revolution in India’s communications sector and
sustained the same later. GSAT-18 joins the constellation of INSAT System consisting 14 operational satellites,
namely - INSAT-3A, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4CR, 3DR and GSAT-6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 16.
The INSAT system with more than 200 transponders in the C, Extended C and Ku-bands provides services
to telecommunications, television broadcasting, satellite newsgathering, societal applications, weather forecasting,
disaster warning and Search and Rescue operations.
a)

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EDUSAT Programme: EDUSAT, launched by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F01) in
September 2004, is India’s first thematic satellite dedicated exclusively for educational services. The
OR
satellite is specially configured to relay through audio-visual medium, employing multi-media multi-centric
system, to create interactive classrooms.
One of the innovative networks on EDUSAT is the network for “Blind schools”. Blind People’s Association,
Ahmadabad is a leading organisation promoting education, training, employment and rehabilitation for blind
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persons. Considering the specific needs of the blind people, an altogether different kind of broadcast
network configuration delivering live audio and data which is read by blind person through its printed
impression (Braille) was set up. Another special network in Ext C-band connecting 50 engineering institutes
across the country has been established to impart teaching by distinguished professors/faculty from top 21
universities in USA who would visit India to conduct eight-week courses in various subjects in engineering.
This network is now shared by IIT-Bombay network with additional 30 end users.
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b) Educational TV Services: INSAT is being used to provide Educational TV (ETV) service for primary
school children
c) Telemedicine Programme: ISRO’s telemedicine pilot project was started in the year 2001 with the aim
of introducing the telemedicine facility to the grass root level population as a part of proof of concept
technology demonstration. The telemedicine facility connects the remote District Hospitals/Health Centres
with Super Specialty Hospitals in cities, through the INSAT Satellites for providing expert consultation to
the needy and underserved population.
d) Television: INSAT has been a major catalyst for the expansion of television coverage in India. Satellite
television now covers 100% area and 100% population. The terrestrial coverage is over 65 percent of the
Indian land mass and over 90 percent of the population. All of the Satellite TV channels are digitalized.
e) Satellite Aided Search and Rescue: India is a member of the international COSPAS-SARSAT programme
for providing distress alert and position location service through LEOSAR (Low Earth Orbit Search And
Rescue) satellite system. Under this programme, India has established two Local User Terminals (LUTs),
one at Lucknow and the other at Bangalore. The Indian Mission Control Centre (INMCC), is located at
ISTRAC, Bangalore.
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Indian LUTs provide coverage to a large part of Indian Ocean region rendering distress alert services to
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. The operations of INMCC/
LUT are funded by the participating agencies, namely, Coast Guard, Airports Authority of India (AAI)
and Director General of Shipping and Services.
f) Disaster management: The Disaster Management Support (DMS) Programme of ISRO, provides timely
support and services from aero-space systems, both imaging and communications, towards efficient
management of disasters in the country. The DMS programme addresses disasters such as flood, cyclone,
drought, forest fire, landslide and Earthquake. These include creation of digital data base for facilitating
hazard zonation, damage assessment, etc., monitoring of major natural disasters using satellite and aerial
data; development of appropriate techniques and tools for decision support, establishing satellite based
reliable communication network, deployment of emergency communication equipments and R&D towards
early warning of disasters.
REMOTE SENSING
Starting with IRS-1A in 1988, ISRO has launched many operational remote sensing satellites. Today, India has

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one of the largest constellations of remote sensing satellites in operation. Currently, *thirteen* operational
satellites are in Sun-synchronous orbit – RESOURCESAT-1, 2, 2A CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-1 and
2, OCEANSAT-2, Megha-Tropiques, SARAL and SCATSAT-1, and *four* in Geostationary orbit- INSAT-3D,

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Kalpana & INSAT 3A, INSAT -3DR. Varieties of instruments have been flown onboard these satellites to
provide necessary data in a diversified spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions to cater to different user
requirements in the country and for global usage. The data from these satellites are used for several applications
covering agriculture, water resources, urban planning, rural development, mineral prospecting, environment,
forestry, ocean resources and disaster management.
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List of Earth Observation Satellites
Launch Launch Power Launch Vehicle Orbit Application
Date Mass Type
Cartosat -2 Feb 15, 714 kg PSLV-C37/Cartosat-2 SSPO Earth
Series Satellite 2017 Series Satellite Observation
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RESOURCESAT- Dec 07, 1235 kg PSLV-C36/ SSPO Earth

2A 2016 RESOURCESAT-2A Observation
SCATSAT-1 Sep 26, 371 kg PSLV-C35/ SSPO Climate &
2016 SCATSAT-1 Environment
INSAT-3DR Sep 08, 2211 kg GSLV-F05/ GSO Climate &
2016 INSAT-3DR Environment,
Disaster
Management
System
CARTOSAT-2 Jun 22, 737.5 kg 986 W PSLV-C34/ SSPO Earth
Series Satellite 2016 CARTOSAT-2 Observation
Series Satellite
INSAT-3D Jul 26, 2060 Kg 1164 W Ariane-5 VA-214 GSO Climate &
2013 Environment,
Disaster
Management
System
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SARAL Feb 25, 407 kg 906 W PSLV-C20/ SSPO Climate &

2013 SARAL Environment,
Earth
Observation
RISAT-1 Apr 26, 1858 kg 2200 W PSLV-C19/ SSPO Earth
2012 RISAT-1 Observation
Megha-Tropiques Oct 12, 1000 kg 1325 W PSLV-C18/ SSPO Climate &
2011 Megha-Tropiques Environment,
Earth
Observation
RESOURCESAT Apr 20, 1206 kg 1250 W PSLV-C16/ SSPO Earth
-2 2011 RESOURCESAT-2 Observation
CARTOSAT-2B Jul 12, 694 kg 930 W PSLV-C15/ SSPO Earth
2010 CARTOSAT-2B Observation

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Oceansat-2 Sep 23, 960 kg 1360W PSLV-C14/ SSPO Climate &
2009 OCEANSAT-2 Environment,
Earth
OR
Observation
RISAT-2 Apr 20, 300 kg PSLV-C12/ SSPO Earth
2009 RISAT-2 Observation
CARTOSAT-2A Apr 28, 690 Kg 900 W PSLV-C9/ SSPO Earth
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2008 CARTOSAT-2A Observation

IMS-1 Apr 28, 83 kg 220 W PSLV-C9/ SSPO Earth
2008 CARTOSAT-2A Observation
CARTOSAT-2 Jan 10, 650 kg 900 W PSLV-C7/ SSPO Earth
2007 CARTOSAT-2/ Observation
SRE-1
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CARTOSAT-1 May 05, 1560 kg 1100 W PSLV-C6/ SSPO Earth

2005 CARTOSAT-1/ Observation
HAMSAT
Applications of Remote Sensing Satellite
1. Agriculture & Soil
• Crop production forecast
• Saline/sodic soils mapping
• Agro-Met services& disaster surveillance (pest, floods, drought)
• Horticulture development
2. Bio Resources and Environment
• Forest cover and type mapping
• Wetland inventory & conservation plans
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• Bio diversity characterization

• Desertification status mapping
• Coastal, mangroves, Coral Related
• Snow and glacier studies
3. Cartography
• Large scale mapping
• Satellite based topo-map updation
• Digital Elevation Model (Carto-DEM)
• Cadastral level mapping
4. Geology and Mineral Resources

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• Landslide hazard zonation
• Mineral /oil exploration, mining areas

5.
•
•
Seiesmo-tectonic studies
Engineering and geo-environmental studies
Ocean and Meteorology
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• Ocean primary productivity
• Ocean status forecast
• Storm surge modelling
• Regional weather prediction
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• Tropical cyclone and mesoscale studies

• Extended range monsoon prediction
6. Rural Development
• National Drinking Water mission
• Wasteland mapping/updation
• watershed development and monitoring
• Land records modernization plan
7. Urban Development
• Urban sprawl mapping of major cities
• Master / structure plans
• Comprehensive development plans of selected cities / towns
• Base map generation for towns
• National urban information system
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8. Water Resources
• Irrigation infrastructure assessment
• Water resource information system
• Snow melt run-off estimation
• Reservoir capacity evaluation
• Site selection for hydro-power
9. Natural Resources Census
• Periodic inventory of natural resources under NR Census programme
• Land use/land cover, soil, geomorphology, wetland, land degradation, snow and glacier, vegetation
10. Disaster Management Support
• Operationally addressing various natural disasters like floods, cyclone, drought, landslide, earthquake

E
and forest fire
• Research and development on early warning systems and decision support tools
OR
11. Climate Change Studies
• Mapping the indications, monitoring the agents and modelling the impact
• Characterization of climate variables
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• Methane emission and Timberline study

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SPACE: RECENT AND FUTURE MISSIONS

RECENT SPACE MISSIONS ISRO
1. Launch vehicles - Seven successful launch vehicle missions and two successful advanced launch vehicle
technology initiatives of ISRO i.e. the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) and
SCRAMJET technology demonstrator.
2. Satellite - 8 ISRO satellites, 4 student satellites and 22 foreign satellites were launched by these missions.
3. Space exploration domains - Mars Orbiter Spacecraft of India completed two years in its orbit around
Mars and India’s ASTROSAT multi-wavelength observatory successfully completed one year in orbit.

E
Launch Vehicle Mission / Mission Type Achievement

OR
PSLV-C31 IRNSS-1E Mission/ Navigation IRNSS-1E, the fifth satellite of the IRNSS
constellation
PSLV-C32 IRNSS-1F Mission/ Navigation IRNSS-1F, the sixth satellite of the IRNSS
constellation in March, 2016.
PSLV-C33 IRNSS-1G Mission/Navigation Seventh and the last satellite IRNSS-1G of
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the IRNSS constellation. With this, the space
segment of the IRNSS is fully deployed.
RLV-TD Reusable Launch Vehicle- India’s first winged body aerospace vehicle,
Technology Demonstrator RLV-TD wasSuccessfully flight tested. In this
(Technology Demonstration) flight, critical technologies such as
autonomous navigation, guidance & control,
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reusable thermal protection system and re-

entry mission management were successfully
validated.
PSLV-C34/ Cartosat-2 Series Mission PSLV-C34 successfully launched 20 satellites
(Remote Sensing) in a single mission. It included India’s
CARTOSAT-2 series of satellite and two
academic institutes’ satellites, namely,
SWAYAM and SATHYABAMASAT and 17
satellites of foreign customers from Canada,
Germany, Indonesia and USA as co-
passengers
GSLV-F05 INSAT-3DR Mission GSLV-F05, India’s Geosynchronous Satellite
(Weather Satellite) Launch Vehicle, equipped with the indigenous
Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), successfully
launched the country’s weather satellite
INSAT-3DR. INSAT-3DR is a follow-on
meteorological satellite to INSAT-3D.
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Scramjet Engine Air Breathing Propulsion System The first experimental mission of ISRO’s
Technology (Technology Demonstration) Scramjet Engine towards the realisation of
Demonstrator an Air Breathing Propulsion System was
successfully conducted. The Scramjet engine
designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and
the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the
oxidizer.It marked the maiden short duration
experimental test of ISRO’s Scramjet engine
with a hypersonic flight at Mach 6.India is
the fourth country to demonstrate the flight
testing of Scramjet Engine.
PSLV-C35 SCATSAT-1 (Weather Forecasting SCATSAT-1 satellite was carrying a
and Cyclone Prediction) scatterometer for wind vector measurement
into the required polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit.The PSLV facilitated continuity to
Oceansat-2 Scatterometer, which completed
its service in March 2014. The wind vector

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at sea surface information facilitated by
SCATSAT-1 is used in weather prediction
OR
models and helps in accurate prediction of
cyclone track.
PSLV-C36 Resourcesat-2A (Remote Sensing) This was PSLV’s 37th consecutive success.
The RESOURCESAT-2A is a follow on
mission to Resourcesat-2 and intended to
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ensure data continuity to the users for land

and water resources applications.
European GSAT 18 (Communication Satellite) The communication satellite GSAT-18,
Ariane 5 VA-231 launched by European Ariane V, carries a total
launch Vehicle of 48 transponders in Ku-band, C-band and
Ext C-band for providing continuity of
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services and has further augmented the

transponder capacity.
SPACE EXPLORATION
• Mars Orbiter Mission: India’s first inter-planetary mission completed two years in its orbit around Mars. The
health parameters of Mars Orbiter spacecraft are normal and all the five payloads are sending useful data.
The Mars Colour Camera has produced more than 530 images so far. ISRO has also launched MOM
Announcement of Opportunity (AO) programmes for researchers in the country to use the MOM data
for R&D. The success of Mars Orbiter Mission has showcased India’s technical capability in exploring
planetary bodies and has motivated India’s student and research community in a big way.
• ASTROSAT Mission: Astrosat is a multi-wavelength astronomy mission on an IRS-class satellite into a
near-Earth, equatorial orbit. ASTROSAT has completed one year in orbit as of September 2016.  An
Announcement of Opportunity (AO) was made in June 2016 for Indian researchers to explore the
universe using data from ASTROSAT. 
• Multi Application Solar Telescope: The Multi Application Solar Telescope (MAST) will be used for detailed
observation of the solar activity. The MAST will usher the country to a vast amount of astronomical
information that is owned only by a few countries in the world.
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The MAST is located in the Udaipur Solar Observatory which comes under the Physical Research Laboratory
(PRL), an autonomous unit of the Department of Space.
The project was under by Union Ministry of Science and Technology and was funded by Department of Space
(DoS).
The USO is situated on an island like land form in Lake Fatehsagar of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The site is
ideal for the observatory as it provides 250 days of sunlight in a year.
The lake will help provide the optimum temperature for the lens and also decreases the turbulence in the air mass.
Considering the amount of magnification involved, lesser turbulence will result in improved image quality.
The telescope’s main motive is to capture high resolution 3D images of the Sun’s surface and observing
phenomena like solar flares. It will also be used to study seismic effects of solar flares.
NAVIGATION SATELLITE MISSIONS
IRNSS: India’s Navigation system

E
• IRNSS is an Independent regional navigation satellite system being developed by India. 

OR
• The NAVIC (Navigation in Indian Constellation) system consist of a constellation of 3 satellites
in Geostationary orbit (GEO), 4 satellites inGeosynchronous orbit (GSO), approximately 36,000 kilometers
(22,000 mi) altitude above earth surface,and two satellites on the ground as stand-by, in addition to ground
stations.
• It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region
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extending up to 1500 Km from its boundary, which is its primary service area.  
• IRNSS provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all
the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorized users. 
• The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 metres in the primary
service area.
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Applications of IRNSS are:

• Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation
• Disaster Management
• Vehicle tracking and fleet management
• Integration with mobile phones
• Precise Timing
• Mapping and Geodetic data capture
• Terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travelers
• Visual and voice navigation for drivers
GAGAN- Geo Augmented Navigation System
• GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation ‘‘GAGAN’’ is an augmentation system to enhance the accuracy
and integrity of GPS signals to meet precision approach requirements in Civil Aviation and is being
implemented jointly by AAI and ISRO.
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• It will augment GPS signals over the Indian land mass, the Bay of Bengal, South East Asia, the Middle
East and the Arabian Sea widening its reach up to Africa. At present radio navigation aids are used for
precision landing and approaches at Indian airports.
Objectives
• The objective of GAGAN to establish, deploy and certify satellite based augmentation system for safety-
of-life civil aviation applications in India has been successfully completed. The system is inter-operable
with other international SBAS systems like US-WAAS, European EGNOS, and Japanese MSAS etc.
• The goal is to provide navigation system for all phases of flight over the Indian airspace and in the
adjoining areas.
Benefits
• Improved efficiency
• Increased fuel savings
• Direct routes

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• Reduced work load of flight crew and air traffic controllers
• Improved safety
OR
• Ease of search and rescue operation
FUTURE MISSION
Solar Mission- ADITYA
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• ADITYA-1 is the 1st Indian space based Solar Coronagraph intended to study the outermost region of
the sun called ‘Corona’. The project will increase our understanding about the Sun.
• The Temperature of the solar corona goes beyond million degrees. From the ground, the Corona could
be seen only during total solar eclipses mainly due to the bright solar disc and the scattering of the sunlight
by the Earth’s atmosphere. One has to go beyond the atmosphere to be able to mask the bright solar disc
and study the Corona.
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• Objectives of the Mission: The major scientific objectives of Aditya-1 are to achieve a fundamental
understanding of the physical processes that –
– Heat the solar corona
– Accelerate the Solar Wind
– Produce Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).
Aries (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences)
• On March 30, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel unveiled
Asia’s largest optical telescope in Nainital, Uttarakhand from Brussels, Belgium. “Even the sky is not the
limit for the ARIES Telescope” said Modi after launching the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational
Sciences or ARIES project.
Project ARIES
• ARIES telescope is a joint collaboration between Indian, Russian, and Belgian scientists.
• The total cost of the construction and setup of the telescope is estimated to be Rs 120 crore.
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• The telescope is located at Devasthal, Nainital at a height of 2,500 metres.

• It is said that the site was chosen to get a clear view of the sky.

• The ARIES optical telescope’s mirror is 3.6 metres (360 centimetres) in diameter.

• The high end technology incorporated in the telescope enables it to be operated with the help of remote
control from anywhere in the world.

• The telescope will be used in the study and exploration of planets, starts, magnetic field and astronomical
debris.

• The scientists will also help in research of the structures of stars and magnetic field structures of stars.

• In March 2007, the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences and Belgian company Advanced
Mechanical and Optical Systems (AMOS) had entered a contract for design, manufacture, integration,
testing, supply, and installation of the telescope.

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Gadanki Ionospheric Radar Interferometer (GIRI)

•
OR
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has installed the GadankiIonospheric Radar Interferometer
(GIRI) Radar System near Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. It was installed at the National Atmospheric Research
Laboratory (NARL), which is an autonomous research institute of the Department of Space (DoS).

Primary objective:
SC
– Carry out unattended observations for studying the forces from the sun like variation in solar flare,
solar flux and magnetic storm on the ionospheric irregularities.

– Studies unattended observations from the underneath atmosphere on the ionospheric irregularities (for
e.g. waves generated by weather phenomena).

– Provide important information about the angular location of plasma irregularities during the onset
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phase.

– Also establish its relationship to background ionospheric state parameters and sunset terminator.

• Applications

– Investigations made using this system are expected to improve the Equatorial Plasma Bubble (EPB)
forecasting. It will further be detrimental for satellite based navigation/communication applications.

Neutrino Observatory

• The Government of India’s Union Cabinet recently approved the India-based Neutrino Observatory
project.

• A pioneer in the field of neutrino science, India was a world leader in 1965. In the mid-1990s, with the
closing of the Kolar Gold Fields which was the site of the experiments, experimental neutrino research
in India came to a halt, and the INO is expected to revive the lost advantage,

• The India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project is a multi-institutional effort aimed at building a
world-class underground laboratory with a rock cover of approx.1200 m for non-accelerator based high
energy and nuclear physics research in India.
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• The project includes

a) Construction of an underground laboratory and associated surface facilities at Pottipuram in Bodi
West hills of Theni District of Tamil Nadu,
b) Construction of a Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector for studying neutrinos, consisting of 50000 tons of
magnetized iron plates arranged in stacks with gaps in between where Resistive Plate Chambers (rpcs)
would be inserted as active detectors, the total number of 2m X 2m rpcs being around 29000, and
c) Setting up of National Centre for High Energy Physics at Madurai, for the operation and maintenance
of the underground laboratory, human resource development and detector R&D along with its applications.
• The initial goal of INO is to study neutrinos. There is a hierarchy among the masses of these three types
of neutrino and the experiments at the INO will study this mass ordering using a magnetised iron
calorimeter (ICAL)
• However there are concerns about the nature of neutrinos themselves — whether the experiment will use
artificially manufactured neutrino beams and on the safety to humans and the environment if such
neutrinos are used. There are also concerns regarding the stability of mountain region if tunnel is dunged.

E
Neutrinos Potential Applications:
• Neutrinos may have a role to play in nuclear non-proliferation through the remote monitoring of
OR
nuclear reactors
• Understanding neutrinos can help us detect mineral and oil deposits deep in the earth. Neutrinos tend
to change their “flavour” depending on how far they have travelled and how much matter they have
passed through in the way.
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• This same property might help us detect early geological defects deep within the earth, and thereby
might be our answer to an early warning system against earthquakes. This is where an area of
Geoneutrinos is applicable.
• As neutrinos can pass right through the earth. They may open up a faster way to send data than the
current ‘around the earth’ model, using towers, cables or satellites. Such a communication system using
neutrinos will be free of transmission losses as neutrinos rarely react with the atoms in their path. This
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can open up new vistas for telecom and Internet services. Some scientists further believe that if there
is any extraterrestrial form of life, neutrinos will also be the fastest and most trusted way to communicate
with them.
• Neutrinos are the information bearers of the universe — which are almost never lost in their path.
India’s effort in studying neutrinos at INO may help us unravel the deepest mystery of the universe
— why there is more matter than antimatter in the universe.
• Some scientists believe that formidable neutrino research can help us understand dark matter. Dark
matter and dark energy make up 95 per cent of the universe, far more predominant than ordinary
matter in the universe — but we hardly understand it. Neutrinos are the only way to detect this great
mystery which may completely alter our understanding of the universe and physics.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION PROJECTS
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
What are Gravitational Waves (GW)?
• Gravitational waves are ripples in the space time curvaturetraveling outward from the source produced by
violent events such as collision of 2 black holes or by supernova explosion
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• They are produced by accelerating masses just the same as accelerating charged particles produce radio
waves (electrons in antennas).
• GW is akin to Electromagnetic Waves (EM) waves, but emitted by gravitating bodies in motion such as
black holes, spiraling towards each other in binary orbits.
Properties
• Can penetrate regions of space that EM have no reach.
• Gravitational waves are hypothesize to arise from cosmic inflation (expansion of universe after big bang)
LIGO
• Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory is large scale collaboration between scientists of
MIT, Caltech and other institutions.
• Founded in 1992 aimed at detecting the gravitational waves that were once predicted by Einstein and also
validate this general theory of relativity.

E
• For the first time, scientists at LIGO have observed ripples in the fabric of space time called gravitational
waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirms a major

onto the cosmos.

India’s Gravitational Wave Observatory (IndiGO)
OR
prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an unprecedented new window

• INDIGO is the country’s own laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatory for cosmology research.
SC
It’s in collaboration with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in the US.
• The project will build an Advanced LIGO Observatory in India, a move that will significantly improve
the ability of scientists to pinpoint the sources of gravitational waves and analyze the signals.
Thirty Meter Telescope Project
• The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is an international project being funded by scientific organizations of
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Canada, China, India, Japan and USA.The project expected to start construction on Mauna Kea, Hawaii
in 2015.
• However, it is now stalled due to the recent decision of the Supreme court of Hawaii revoking the
construction permit on procedural grounds.
• The State of Hawaii agencies are working on the permit process following the prescribed procedure by the
court. TMT is pursuing the matter in consultation with the University of Hawaii ( land lease holder) and
other agencies.
• TMT continues to respect the rights of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii as it seeks to construct TMT
on Mauna Kea which is the preferred choice.
• Given the large investments that have already been made and committed, some of the project partners
are also looking at alternate sites both in the northern and southern hemispheres. It is expected that on-
site civil work on the project may be delayed by about 18-24 months. However, work on telescope and
observatory subsystems continues across the partnership
India, NASA join hands for astrobiology mission
• India and NASA has collaborated for mission for finding the life over mars and future astrobiology
missions.
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• After its first successful and low cost mission to the Mars NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration) along with Mars society of Australia and Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow
will be mounting an expedition towards the Ladakh which is being found to have similar topography and
microbial life as that of Mars.
• This is the first time that India is part of the Spaceward Bound programme. The Spaceward Bound is a
NASA project that educates future space explorers and funds expeditions to places with extreme climate
conditions.
• Before Ladakh, there have been expeditions to the deserts such in Atacama, Chile; Mojave, California;
Arkaroola, Australia as well as the Arctic and Antarctica, organised since 2006.
Astrobiology:
• It is the process of study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe:
extraterrestrial life and life on Earth.
• This interdisciplinary field encompasses the search for habitable environments in the Solar System and
habitable planets outside the Solar System, the search for evidence of prebiotic chemistry, laboratory

E
and field research into the origins and early evolution of life on Earth, and studies of the potential for
life to adapt to challenges on Earth and in outer space.
OR
Outer Space
• Outer space refers to the emptiness that exists between objects in space including Earth. Most of outer
space is made of plasma. When plasma collects and condenses, it forms stars and galaxies.
• Outer space is the near-vacuum beyond the Earth's atmosphere. It has no air to scatter the light and
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so what we observe is a black emptiness spangled with stars and other extraterrestrial matter.
Outer Space Treaty
• The Outer Space Treaty stipulates that exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the
benefit and in the interest of all countries, and it shall be the province of mankind.
• Parties agree not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other
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kinds of weapons of mass destruction; not to install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station them
in outer space in any other manner; the Moon and other celestial bodies are to be used exclusively for
peaceful purposes; establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any
type of weapons, and the conduct of military maneuvers on celestial bodies shall be forbidden.
What are the other UN treaties on peaceful uses of outer space?
• Rescue Agreement: The Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the
Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
• Liability Convention: The Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
• Registration Convention: The Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
• Moon Treaty: The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial
Bodies.
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