ISRO with its latest development is roaring in space industry

ISRO recently launched NVS-01, first in the series of five satellites which is in the process of designing and building under UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. Planned to meet country’s requirements of navigation, timing and positioning, it is a next generation satellite. India is using Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series for civilian and defense navigation, positioning and timing services within India and covers additional 1500 kilometers, beyond its borders. The motivating factor this time for the country is, including of indigenous atomic clock in NVS-01. ISRO in a statement said, ‘NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services. For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock will be flown in NVS-01’. Currently, NavIC series of satellites carry foreign origin atomic clocks.
Indian space research organization is one of the focused department under current administration. According to Geospatial world, ‘Due to active encouragement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ISRO has been seen playing its two roles successfully- emerge as a global power in the international space arena, the backbone of as many as 150 national building projects at home’. By 2017, ISRO and Department of Science successfully accomplished 36 missions in the last three years including 17 launch vehicle missions, 16 satellites mission and 3 technology demonstration mission. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with infrastructure and digitalization, aiming for India led space projects.
V.K Mishra is space enthusiast who had worked closely with people associated with Indian space companies. He has also written several pieces about satellites and space. Before commenting on successful NavIC series, he appreciated the support ISRO is getting from administration. He said, ‘ISRO is an organization which is centered within its interest of space. It has done immensely brilliant throughout its journey and is still continuing. External support matters for such a huge national organization and Prime Minister has been one. The pride we see in his eyes while he talks about ISRO and its projects becomes motivation for the entire team.’ He further said, ‘Another milestone has been added to ISRO’s achievements. This satellite is different because of indigenous atomic clock. Replacing the foreign with indigenous is explaining independent approach, something current administration is encouraging.’
As per the information, NavIC series satellites carry two types of payloads- navigation and ranging. Navigation defines determination of position, velocity and time via transmitting signals whereas ranging facilitates accurate range of the satellite through C-band transponder. The new features of NavIC series are to overcome some of the issues and V.K Mishra described in detail here to us. He said, ‘The new series brought L1 frequency that enhances compatibility with personal trackers and wearable devices. The old one has L5 and S frequency. NVS-01 has longer mission life of up to 12 years, since the old series has of 10 years. Rubidium atomic clock gives accurate position, issue that was detected in old series. Also, the new satellite weighs much heavier than the previous one. They are lighter and are launched on PSLV rockets.’ According to the available information, few issues existing satellites were struggling with are atomic clock failure, satellite replacement, limited coverage, user segment development, mobile compatibility and security and encryption.
How this development position India at International space industry? Indian billionaire businessman, Sunil Bharti Mittal earlier this year concluded India as a potential to compete directly with SpaceX. At media roundtable, Mittal said, ‘Today marks a very important day for India, where ISRO and NSIL establish themselves in a very certain manner as a significant player in the commercial space launch industry.’ He also believes India can become a dominant competitor to SpaceX, if it continues with the kind of work it is carrying. This came right after when ISRO’s LVM-3 put 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit. Now OneWeb’s LEO constellation has 618 satellites that provide broadband from space around the world.
While counting recent space missions and projects, V.K Mishra admits that ISRO can jump positions. ‘There are some top space agencies working 24/7 for explanations, theories and contributing extensively in new discoveries. NASA (America), CNSA (China), ESA (Europe), Russian Federal Space agency, SpaceX, JAXA (Japan), we have number of competitors operating tirelessly. Certainly, ISRO is constantly achieving new heights. ASTROSAT working phenomenally and providing data, Mars orbiter mission has already been completed and is still working normally, space technology is being used for disaster management, infrastructure and other sort of developments. ISRO has the capability, it only demands right kind of support’, he said.
ISRO shared its following future missions – NISAR, it will map the entire globe in 12 days and provides spatially and temporary consistent data for understanding changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, sea level rise, natural hazards, ground water and vegetation biomass. ADITYA-L1 shall be the first space based Indian mission to study the sun. Chandrayaan 3, follow up of Chandrayaan 2. Missions mentioned above, shall help ISRO in embarking its new journey towards making India proud.