<<–2/”>a >a href=”https://exam.pscnotes.com/space-technology-indian-space-programs/”>Space Technology– Indian space programs. Application of Satellites for different purposes
Despite being a developing economy with its attendant problems, India has effectively developed space technology and has applied it successfully for its rapid development and today is offering a variety of space Services globally.
Indian Space Program:
During the formative decade of 1960s, space research was conducted by India mainly with the help of sounding rockets. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed in 1969. Space research activities were provided additional fillip with the formation of the Space Commission and the Department of Space by the government of India in 1972. And, ISRO was brought under the Department of Space in the same year.
In the history of the Indian space programme, 70s were the era of Experimentation during which experimental satellite programmes like Aryabhatta, Bhaskara, Rohini and Apple were conducted. The success of those programmes, led to era of operationalisation in 80s during which operational satellite programmes like INSAT and IRS came into being. Today, INSAT and IRS are the major programmes of ISRO.
For launching its spacecraft indigenously, India is having a robust launch vehicle programme, which has matured to the state of offering launch services to the outside world. Antrix, the commercial arm of the Department of Space, is Marketing India’s space services globally. Fruitful co-operation with other space faring nations, international bodies and the developing world is one of the main characteristics of India’s space programme.
The most significant milestone of the Indian Space Programme during the year 2005-2006 was the successful launch of PSLV-C6. On 5 May 2005, the ninth flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C6) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota successfully placed two satellites – the 1560 kg CARTOSTAR-1 and 42 kg HAMSAT – into a predetermined polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Coming after seven launch successes in a row, the success of PSLV-C6 further demonstrated the reliability of PSLV and its capability to place payloads weighing up to 1600 kg satellites into a 600 km high polar SSO.
The successful launch of INSAT-4A, the heaviest and most powerful satellite built by India so far; on 22 December 2005 was the other major event of the year 2005-06. INSAT-4A is capable of providing Direct-To-Home (DTH) television broadcasting services.
Besides, the setting up of the second cluster of nine Village Resource Centres (VRCs) was an important ongoing initiative of the Department of Space during the year. VRC concept integrates the capabilities of communications and earth observation satellites to provide a variety of information emanating from space systems and other IT tools to address the changing and critical needs of rural communities.
In October 2008, the first lunar mission launched by ISRO. The spacecraft, Chandrayaan took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and it operated till August 2009. The project was announced by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as part of his independence day speech in 2003. The greatest achievement of this lunar project was the discovery of a large number of water Molecules in moon. ISRO plans to launch its second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2 by 2018.
In 2014, Mangalyaan, India’s first interplanetary mission was launched, making ISRO the fourth space agency to reach Mars. Mangalyaan gained worldwide repute as being the least expensive Mars mission till date.
Recently India has launched 104 staellites at one go, which is a world record. The previous world record is with the Russian space agency with 37 satellites at one go.
India has been launching heavy satellites on its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) but so far it has only been used for domestic satellites.In recent months though, there have been queries from foreign companies for launches on the GSLV.
Application of satellites for different purposes:
Satellites based on application can be categorized as follows:
Earth Observation satellite->
Starting with IRS-1A in 1988, ISRO has launched many operational remote sensing satellites. Today, India has 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, 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.
Communication satellite->
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.
Navigation satellite->
Satellite Navigation service is an emerging satellite based system with commercial and strategic applications. ISRO is committed to provide the satellite based Navigation services to meet the emerging demands of the Civil Aviation requirements and to meet the user requirements of the positioning, navigation and timing based on the independent satellite navigation system. To meet the Civil Aviation requirements, ISRO is working jointly with Airport Authority of India (AAI) in establishing the GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system. To meet the user requirements of the positioning, navigation and timing services based on the indigenous system, ISRO is establishing a regional satellite navigation system called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
(a) GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN):
This is a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) implemented jointly with Airport Authority of India (AAI). The main objectives of GAGAN are to provide Satellite-based Navigation services with accuracy and Integrity required for civil aviation applications and to provide better Air Traffic Management over Indian Airspace. The system will be interoperable with other international SBAS systems and provide seamless navigation across regional boundaries. The GAGAN Signal-In-Space (SIS) is available through GSAT-8 and GSAT-10.
(b) Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) : NavIC
This is an independent Indian Satellite based positioning system for critical National applications. The main objective is to provide Reliable Position, Navigation and Timing services over India and its neighbourhood, to provide fairly good accuracy to the user. The IRNSS will provide basically two types of services
Standard Positioning Service (SPS)
Restricted Service (RS)
Space Segment consists of seven satellites, three satellites in GEO stationary orbit (GEO) and four satellites in Geo Synchronous Orbit (GSO) orbit with inclination of 29° to the equatorial plane. This constellation of seven satellites was named as “NavIC” (Navigation Indian Constellation) by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi and dedicated to the Nation on the occasion of successful launch of IRNSS-1G, the seventh and last satellite of NavIC. All the satellites will be visible at all times in the Indian region. All the seven Satellites of NavIC, namely, IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID,1E, 1F and 1G were successfully launched on July 02, 2013, Apr 04, 2014, Oct 16, 2014, Mar 28, 2015, Jan 20, 2016, Mar 10, 2016 and Apr 28, 2016 respectively and all are functioning satisfactorily from their designated orbital positions.
Ground Segment is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the IRNSS constellation. It provides the monitoring of the constellation status, computation of the orbital and clock parameters and navigation data uploading. The Ground segment comprises of TTC & Uplinking Stations, Spacecraft Control Centre, IRNSS Timing Centre, CDMA Ranging Stations, Navigation Control Centre and Data Communication Links. Space segment is compatible with single frequency receiver for Standard Positioning Service (SPS), dual frequency receiver for both SPS & RS service and a multi mode receiver compatible with other GNSS providers.
Experimental satellite->
ISRO has launched many small satellites mainly for the experimental purposes. This experiment include Remote Sensing, Atmospheric Studies, Payload Development, Orbit Controls, recovery technology etc. Example- INS-1A, INS-1B, YOUTHSAT, APPLE
Small satellite->
The small satellite project is envisaged to provide platform for stand-alone payloads for earth imaging and science missions within a quick turn around time. For making the versatile platform for different kinds of payloads, two kinds of buses have been configured and developed.
Indian Mini Satellite -1 (IMS-1): IMS-1 bus has been developed as a versatile bus of 100 kg class which includes a payload capability of around 30 kg. The bus has been developed using various miniaturization techniques. The first mission of the IMS-1 series was launched successfully on April 28th 2008 as a co-passenger along with Cartosat 2A. Youthsat is second mission in this series and was launched successfully along with Resourcesat 2 on 20th April 2011.
Indian Mini Satellite -2 (IMS-2) Bus: IMS-2 Bus is evolved as a standard bus of 400 kg class which includes a payload capability of around 200kg. IMS-2 development is an important milestone as it is envisaged to be a work horse for different types of remote sensing applications. The first mission of IMS-2 is SARAL. SARAL is a co-operative mission between ISRO and CNES with payloads from CNES and spacecraft bus from ISRO.
Student/Academic satellite->
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.,
Space technology has been used to great effect in a wide range of fields, from agriculture to weather forecasting. In this ARTICLE, we will explore some of the ways in which space technology is being used to improve our lives on Earth.
Agriculture
Space technology is being used to help farmers improve crop yields and reduce the use of pesticides. Satellites can be used to monitor crop Growth and identify areas that are at risk of drought or disease. This information can then be used to target Irrigation and fertilizer applications, which can help to increase crop yields.
Climate change
Space technology is also being used to monitor Climate Change. Satellites can measure the Earth’s temperature, sea level, and ice sheet thickness. This data is used to track the progress of climate change and to develop strategies to mitigate its effects.
Disaster management
Space technology is also being used to help with disaster management. Satellites can be used to monitor natural disasters, such as floods, Earthquakes, and hurricanes. This information can be used to help with evacuations and to provide aid to those affected by the disaster.
Space technology is also being used to improve education. Satellites can be used to provide Internet access to remote areas, which can help students to access educational resources. Space technology is also being used to develop new educational tools, such as virtual reality simulations.
Energy
Space technology is also being used to develop new sources of energy. Satellites can be used to monitor solar and wind power potential. This information can be used to develop new RENEWABLE ENERGY projects.
Environment
Space technology is also being used to monitor the environment. Satellites can be used to track deforestation, pollution, and other environmental changes. This information can be used to develop strategies to protect the environment.
Space technology is also being used to improve health care. Satellites can be used to monitor disease outbreaks and to provide telemedicine services. Space technology is also being used to develop new medical treatments.
Space technology is also being used to promote human rights. Satellites can be used to monitor human rights abuses, such as genocide and slavery. This information can be used to raise awareness of human rights abuses and to pressure governments to take action.
Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE
Space technology is also being used to improve infrastructure. Satellites can be used to monitor roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. This information can be used to identify and repair infrastructure problems.
POVERTY alleviation
Space technology is also being used to alleviate poverty. Satellites can be used to identify areas that are at risk of poverty. This information can be used to target development programs and to help people escape poverty.
Remote sensing
Space technology is also being used for remote sensing. Remote sensing is the process of collecting data about the Earth’s surface from space. This data can be used to monitor a variety of things, such as crop yields, deforestation, and pollution.
Space technology is also being used to promote sustainable development. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Space technology can be used to monitor Natural Resources, track climate change, and develop new sustainable energy sources.
Space technology is also being used to manage water resources. Satellites can be used to monitor water levels, track rainfall, and identify areas that are at risk of drought. This information can be used to develop strategies to manage water resources more effectively.
Weather forecasting
Space technology is also being used to improve weather forecasting. Satellites can be used to track weather patterns and to provide early warning of severe weather events. This information can be used to save lives and property.
In conclusion, space technology is being used to improve our lives in a wide range of ways. It is being used to improve agriculture, climate change, disaster management, education, energy, environment, health, human rights, infrastructure, Poverty Alleviation, remote sensing, sustainable development, water resources, and weather forecasting. Space technology is a powerful tool that can be used to make the world a better place.
Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about the applications of space technology in natural resources, development, and communications:
- What are the benefits of using space technology for natural resources management?
Space technology can be used to monitor and map natural resources, such as forests, water, and Minerals. This information can be used to manage these resources more effectively and sustainably. For example, space technology can be used to track deforestation, which is a major threat to forests. This information can be used to target conservation efforts and to develop policies to reduce deforestation.
- How can space technology help with development?
Space technology can be used to improve communication and transportation, which are essential for development. For example, satellites can be used to provide internet access to remote areas, which can help people to access education, healthcare, and other services. Satellites can also be used to monitor weather patterns, which can help farmers to plan their crops and to avoid droughts and floods.
- What are the challenges of using space technology?
One of the biggest challenges of using space technology is the cost. Space technology is expensive to develop and launch. However, the cost of space technology has been decreasing in recent years, making it more affordable for developing countries. Another challenge is the lack of skilled personnel. Developing countries often lack the skilled personnel to operate and maintain space technology. However, there are a number of initiatives underway to train people in space technology, which will help to address this challenge.
- What are the future prospects for the use of space technology in natural resources, development, and communications?
The future prospects for the use of space technology in natural resources, development, and communications are very promising. Space technology is becoming more affordable and accessible, and the applications of space technology are expanding. For example, space technology is now being used to monitor climate change, which is a major threat to development. Space technology is also being used to provide disaster relief, which is essential for development.
Overall, space technology has the potential to make a significant contribution to natural resources management, development, and communications. The cost of space technology is decreasing, and the applications of space technology are expanding. This suggests that space technology will play an increasingly important role in these areas in the future.
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Which of the following is not a benefit of using space technology in natural resources?
(A) Monitoring deforestation
(B) Tracking weather patterns
(C) Locating mineral deposits
(D) Studying climate change -
Which of the following is not a benefit of using space technology in development?
(A) Providing education and healthcare to remote areas
(B) Monitoring crop yields
(C) Providing disaster relief
(D) Tracking economic growth -
Which of the following is not a benefit of using space technology in communications?
(A) Providing internet access to remote areas
(B) Broadcasting news and information
(C) Connecting people around the world
(D) Tracking military movements -
Which of the following is the most common use of space technology in natural resources?
(A) Monitoring deforestation
(B) Tracking weather patterns
(C) Locating mineral deposits
(D) Studying climate change -
Which of the following is the most common use of space technology in development?
(A) Providing education and healthcare to remote areas
(B) Monitoring crop yields
(C) Providing disaster relief
(D) Tracking economic growth -
Which of the following is the most common use of space technology in communications?
(A) Providing internet access to remote areas
(B) Broadcasting news and information
(C) Connecting people around the world
(D) Tracking military movements -
Which of the following is a benefit of using space technology in natural resources?
(A) It can help to identify and protect natural resources.
(B) It can help to monitor the effects of climate change on natural resources.
(C) It can help to manage natural resources more effectively.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a benefit of using space technology in development?
(A) It can help to provide education and healthcare to remote areas.
(B) It can help to monitor crop yields and Food Security.
(C) It can help to provide disaster relief.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a benefit of using space technology in communications?
(A) It can help to provide internet access to remote areas.
(B) It can help to broadcast news and information.
(C) It can help to connect people around the world.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a challenge of using space technology in natural resources?
(A) It can be expensive.
(B) It can be difficult to obtain data from space.
(C) It can be difficult to interpret data from space.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a challenge of using space technology in development?
(A) It can be expensive.
(B) It can be difficult to implement projects in remote areas.
(C) It can be difficult to maintain projects in remote areas.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a challenge of using space technology in communications?
(A) It can be expensive.
(B) It can be difficult to provide internet access to remote areas.
(C) It can be difficult to maintain internet access in remote areas.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a future trend in the use of space technology in natural resources?
(A) The use of satellites to monitor deforestation.
(B) The use of satellites to track weather patterns.
(C) The use of satellites to locate mineral deposits.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a future trend in the use of space technology in development?
(A) The use of satellites to provide education and healthcare to remote areas.
(B) The use of satellites to monitor crop yields.
(C) The use of satellites to provide disaster relief.
(D) All of the above. -
Which of the following is a future trend in the use of space technology in communications?
(A) The use of satellites to provide internet access to remote areas.
(B) The use of satellites to broadcast news and information.
(C) The use of satellites to connect people around the world.
(D) All of the above.