ISRO’s new multipurpose radar can track space debris

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is close to commissioning its new, home-made radar system that is capable of tracking several objects at the same time.

The radar will give ISRO the capability to better handle future space missions that involve re-entry of modules back into the earth’s atmosphere, and to track space debris.

The system will be tested during the next PSLV rocket launch in June; its commissioning could take three more months.

Disclosing the ‘multi object tracking radar’ to journalists here, M Y S Prasad, Director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (from where Indian rockets are launched), said the radar could see objects as small as half a square meter in size, up to 1,000 km away.

“As far as we know, only five other companies in the world have the capability to build radars of this sophistication,” Prasad said, naming Raythaeon, Northrop Grummer, Lockheed Martin, of the US, Thales, Canada-Europe, Elta of Israel and NEC of Japan.

While it would costRs.800 crore to buy a radar of comparable capabilities from the international market, ISRO built it forRs.245 crore, without any dedicated manpower, Prasad said.

V Seshagiri Rao, a former Director of the radar project, said the software developed in-house would be worth anotherRs.100 crore. The project was approved in August 2012 and has been completed in time.

Unlike the disc radars that keep spinning, the 35-tonne MOTR is a stationary, 12-metre-long, 8-metre-tall rectangular radar that contains 4,068 individual radiating elements. All these emit radio-frequency waves that combine to form a single beam. The beam can be electronically steered so that the a third of the sky is scanned. Since the radar’s base can be rotated to three positions, the entire sky can be covered.

Uses

Without this radar it would be extremely difficult for ISRO to handle manned space missions that involve the ‘crew module’ (and some other parts of the rocket) re-entering the atmosphere, because tracking them as they descend is crucial.

Since the radar can also track small objects, ISRO expects to use it to protect satellites in the ‘low earth orbit’ region (mainly, remote sensing satellites) from being hit by debris.

ISRO today uses NASA’s debris data for that purpose. Prasad said ISRO had to manoeuvre satellites out of harm’s way as many as 12 times in the last five years. Now the data from the radar will supplement NASA data to enhance ISRO’s capacity to protect satellites.

All but the dome that covers the whole system were designed by ISRO and made by Indian industry, Prasad said. The dome had to be imported because there was no Indian supplier who could assure ‘RF transparency’.

He said the radar could be put to several other uses as well. For instance, less sophisticated versions could be used by airports.

He did not want to comment on the military uses of the radar, but he observed that similar radars of Israeli make are being bought by military establishments all over the world.

ISRO’s new multipurpose radar can track space debris | Business Line

 

[Azz Kikr]

No wonder ISRO is the most efficient scientific organisation of the country, on many ocassions ISRO has made the entire nation proud.

 

[flameboard]

Not bad ... Not bad at all.

 

[Kinetic]

We need to work more on radome technologies.


ISRO-DRDO-IAF must work together to form a unified network which will track all kind of objects in space. This radar can be a good start. We must put IR and radar sensors in space to track aircrafts and cruise missiles.


@Chanakya's_Chant

 

[SRP]

Isro Set to Test 'Made in India' Multi-Object Tracking Radar Next Month

The Indian space agency is set to test its sophisticated, indigenously-built, multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) on a rocket flight next month while formal commissioning is expected to take three months time, said a senior official.

"The MOTR designed and developed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) will be tested next month during a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," SDSC director M.Y.S. Prasad told reporters in Sriharikota.

The space scientists with justifiable pride were showcasing the state-of-the art radar that can track 10 objects simultaneously objects up to 30cm by 30cm at distance of 800 km.

In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.

"The Rs. 245 crores MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.

According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs. 800 crores in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.

"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs. 100 crores value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.

To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.

Prasad said Raythaeon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, of the US, Thales, Canada-Europe, Elta of Israel and NEC of Japan have the capability to make such systems.

With this radar, Isro acquires the capacity to handle its future missions involving atmospheric re-entry of space modules, having a protective eye on its space assets and track space debris.

Currently Isro uses the space debris data provided by US space agency Nasa. The commissioning of MOTR would provide real time data for Isro.

"The project got the green signal in 2012 with a target to get the radar ready by February 2015 which was achieved," Prasad said.

Excepting the radome that houses the radar, all other systems were domestically sourced.

"The radome which is radio frequency transparent was not available in the country," said P. Vijaya Saradhi, group director, management system area.

Elaborating on the features of the radar, S.V.Subba Rao said the phased array radar antenna is stationary while its beam generated by 4,608 radiating elements can be steered.

He said the radar weighing 35 ton, 12 metre long and 8 metre tall rectangular could be turned in different directions and will be used to meet the range safety purposes during a rocket launch in Sriharikota.

According to Subba Rao, it is important to track all the targets of a rocket simultaneously for which MOTR would be used. The radar can also be used for vertical wind profiling and also be used at airports.

Isro Set to Test 'Made in India' Multi-Object Tracking Radar Next Month | NDTV Gadgets

 

[Kinetic]

so it can track .09 m2 RCS object at 800 km!! and .25 m2 RCS object at 1000 km. I hope ISRO and DRDO goes for multi static radar and larger radars to track all objects around India.

@Abingdonboy

 

[HariPrasad]

I want 6 of this type of RADAR to cover all directions.

If we can track enemy plane from a distance of 1000 KM it shall be simply great.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

So this radar has definite military uses and applications

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

We need to work more on radome technologies.


ISRO-DRDO-IAF must work together to form a unified network which will track all kind of objects in space. This radar can be a good start. We must put IR and radar sensors in space to track aircrafts and cruise missiles.


@Chanakya's_Chant

And we have made significant progress in this concern. India is using it's geosynchronous satellites for this purpose - the GSAT series - by arming them Electronic Intelligence System (ELINT) Packages to track electromagnetic emissions from geostationary orbits - GSAT 7 - India's first Military Satellite and the recently launched GSAT-16 are the best examples to come up with such sophisticated packages. The original GSAT series satellites are to be replace with these new ones with ELINT packages as soon as the original ones complete their respective life cycles.

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

India to use geo-stationery satellites for missile defence - The Times of India
Saurav Jha's Blog : GSAT-7 bolsters Indian Navy's Network Centric Warfare (NCW) capability
India's GSAT-16 Satellite with Electronic Intelligence System (ELINT) Package all set for Launch!

RISAT's are integrated with sophisticated ship detection algorithms - can very well track marine vessels in real-time. CATROSAT's are being upgraded with spacial resolutions and the next generation CATROSAT's are slated to be launched in a couple of years.

 

[Kinetic]

I don't know why IAF is still not showing interest in this. A military grade system will cost only $ 50 million per radar. We can easily install 10 systems right away.,

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

I don't know why IAF is still not showing interest in this. A military grade system will cost only $ 50 million per radar. We can easily install 10 systems right away.,

MOTR will possibly come under Integrated Space Cell.

 

[Hindustani78]

In Telugu Language.

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): The Indian space agency is set to test its sophisticated, indigenously-built, multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) on a rocket flight next month while formal commissioning is expected to take three months time, said a senior official.

"The MOTR designed and developed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) will be tested next month during a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," SDSC director M.Y.S. Prasad told reporters here.

The space scientists with justifiable pride were showcasing the state-of-the art radar that can track 10 objects simultaneously objects up to 30cm by 30cm at distance of 800 km.

In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.

"The Rs.245 crore MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.

According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs.800 crore in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.

"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs.100 crore value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.

To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.

Isro Says Multi-Object Tracking Radar Ready for Trials | NDTV Gadgets
According to him, the radar can track around 10 objects simultaneously.

He said the radar can track space debris so that a satellite's direction could be altered to avoid collision.

Prasad said the entire radar is fully developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

He also said the Isro's commercial arm Antrix Corporation has signed an agreement with a US company to launch one of its small satellites.

********************

There are more than 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball orbiting the Earth. They travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft.

So now Republic of India can track debris in space.

 

[Echo_419]

In Telugu Language.

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): The Indian space agency is set to test its sophisticated, indigenously-built, multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) on a rocket flight next month while formal commissioning is expected to take three months time, said a senior official.

"The MOTR designed and developed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) will be tested next month during a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," SDSC director M.Y.S. Prasad told reporters here.

The space scientists with justifiable pride were showcasing the state-of-the art radar that can track 10 objects simultaneously objects up to 30cm by 30cm at distance of 800 km.

In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.

"The Rs.245 crore MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.

According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs.800 crore in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.

"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs.100 crore value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.

To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.

Isro Says Multi-Object Tracking Radar Ready for Trials | NDTV Gadgets
According to him, the radar can track around 10 objects simultaneously.

He said the radar can track space debris so that a satellite's direction could be altered to avoid collision.

Prasad said the entire radar is fully developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

He also said the Isro's commercial arm Antrix Corporation has signed an agreement with a US company to launch one of its small satellites.

********************

There are more than 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball orbiting the Earth. They travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft.

So now Republic of India can track debris in space.

Great news