Military use of Space by India

[arp2041]

Like the other big players in the space technology, India of late have been actively engaging itself to the use of space for it's armed forces, here is the list of applications of space which India is utilizing for it's military:

Satellites:

TES (Technology Experiment Satellite) – Launched in 2001, this 1108kg satellite has a pan chromatic camera for remote sensing. The camera is capable of producing image of 1 mt. resolution. Imagery from the TES has been used by the Indian military, it also helped the US army with high-resolution images during the 9/11 counter against the Taliban.

CartoSat 1 – It was launched in 2005 & weighed around 1560 kg. CartoSat 1 carries two state-of-the-art panchromatic (PAN) cameras that take black and white stereoscopic pictures of the earth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The swath covered by these high resolution PAN cameras is 30 km and their spatial resolution is 2.5 metres (It may or may not have been used for military purpose). Since the mission life was for 5 years, it is no longer active.


CartoSat 2 – Launched in early 2007 (weight – 680kg). Cartosat-2 carries a state-of-the-art panchromatic (PAN) camera that take black and white pictures of the earth in the visible region of theelectromagnetic spectrum. The swath covered by these high resolution PAN cameras is 9.6 km and their spatial resolution is less than 1 metre. The satellite can be steered up to 45 degrees along as well as across the track. Cartosat-2 can produce images of up to 80 cm in resolution (black and white only).

CartoSat 2A – Launched in 2008 (weight – 690kg). The spatial resolution of this camera is better than 1m and swath of 9.6 km.

RISAT 2 – Radar Imaging Satellite was launched in 2009 after the 26/11 mumbai attacks since there was an urgent need for remote sensing satellites that can work in bad weather conditions, cloud cover or in night. RISAT-2's main sensor is an X-band synthetic aperture radar from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed to monitor India's borders and as part of anti-infiltration and anti-terrorist operations. The satellite has a mass of 300 kilograms

CartoSat 2B – Launched in 2010 (694 kg) CartoSat 2B carries a Panchromatic camera (PAN) similar to those of its predecessors - CartoSat 2 and 2A.

RISAT 1 – It is the Indian version of the Israeli SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite. It is the first Indian satellite with capability to work in any weather conditions day or night. Weighing around 1850kg in was launched in April 2012.

Future Satellites with military applications:

Navy Satellite (GSAT-7)

A dedicated satellite to facilitating Naval communication and network centric warfare will be launched into geostationary orbit by ISRO in FY 2012-13. Defense Minister, AK Antony announced the project during Senior Naval Officers Conference in New Delhi on October 22, 2009. The satellite was initially planned to be launched in 2010, but the project has been delayed.The satellite will facilitate networking of IN warships, submarines and aircraft among themselves as well as with operational centres ashore through high-speed data-links, allowing Maritime threats to be detected and shared in real-time to ensure swift reaction.The multi-band satellite will weigh 2,330 kg. (5,137 lb.).The satellite will provide coverage over a 600 x 1,000 nm area of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which India considers to be its primary area of responsibility in terms of maritime security.The project cost is Rs 950 crore.

IAF Satellite (GSAT-7A)

The first dedicated IAF communication satellite is scheduled for launch in FY 2013-14, after the Navy satellite due to be launched in 2012-13. The satellite was initially scheduled to be launched in July 2009, according to a PTI report on November 18, 2008. In early January 2009, the IAF Chief said the IAF satellite will be launched in 2010. Later, it was reported that the satellite would be launched in 2011-12, The launch schedule of both the Navy and IAF satellites got disrupted due to back-to-back failures of the GSLV in 2010.According to IAF Chief Fali H. Major, the satellite will serve as the air force's eye in the skies. It will link up the six AWACS that the IAF is acquiring with each other as well as other ground and airbased radars.

Communication-Centric Intelligence Satellite (CCI-Sat)

Communication-Centric Intelligence Satellite is an Indian Advanced Reconnaissance Spy Satellite, being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). It will be India's first officially declared spy satelliteand according to ISRO it should be in the sky by 2014. This satellite will help Indian intelligence agencies to significantly boost surveillance of terror camps in neighboring countries.The CCI-Sat will be able to capture images, eaves drop on communication (for example, a conversation between twosatellite phones) and surveillance. It will be equipped with synthetic aperture radar to take high resolution images of the target region. The cost of the satellite is expected to be around INR 100 crore (around USD 25 million). ISRO will contribute towards the satellite's design and development and DERL will be responsible for the payload.

Optsat 3000 - Presently, ISRO and IAI are believed to be cooperating to develop an India-specific variant of the Optsat 3000 three-axis stabilised, autonomous overhead reconnaissance satellite for the NTRO. The Optsat 3000 satellite will offer simultaneous PAN and multi-spectral imaging capability, plus very high-resolution photo-imagery. The satellite’s low weight and compact dimensions will result in low inertia, thereby allowing for high agility, which in turn will enable achieving a very high number of images, widely spread, in one satellite pass. The satellite, to be deployed in low-earth orbit, is being designed for a mission life of more than six years.

Satellite Defense Capability

India is developing capabilities to defend its satellites against attempts to disable them using kill vehicles, laser or other electronic weapons. At a press conference during DefExpo 2012 on March 31, 2012, DRDO chief VK Saraswat said technologies are being built to protect our satellites from attempts to cause damage, both, electronically and physically. For the later, the capability to destroy hostile missile in space had been demonstrated by the successful ‘ballistic missile defense program’.

ASAT Development

At a press conference during DefExpo 2012 on March 31, 2012, DRDO chief VK Saraswat announced that DRDO was acquiring the capability to take out enemy satellites in orbit.“We are also having anti-satellite capability in terms of technologies that we have developed in ‘ballistic missile defence’ system” Saraswat said. “Engagement of a satellite is a much easier task as compared to the task of engaging a ballistic missile because of the fact that trajectories, timings and altitudes of the satellites are very well defined. What you need is the capability to reach those altitudes and those velocities. After the launch of Agni 4, we have built those capabilities. After the launch of ballistic missile defence, we have the kill vehicles that can take the payload to within few meters of the target. This gives us great advantage”During a press conference in New Delhi on April 20, 2012, a day after the successful maiden test launch of the Agni-V missile, DRDO Chief VK Saraswat reiterated that the Agni missiles have anti-satellite capabilities.He said that Agni-V has provided India the necessary velocity and range to reach the needed altitudes. DRDO also had the guidance capability to direct the warhead towards the intended target in space, to destroy the satellite using a 'kill vehicle' or just disrupt the satellite's functioning.In an interview with India Today in April 2012, the DRDO Chief elaborated on the Indian ASAT program.

"There are a few essential parameters in intercepting satellites. You should have the ability to track an orbiting satellite in space, launch a missile towards it and finally have a kill vehicle that actually homes in to physically destroy it.

We have a Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR) used in the Ballistic Missile Defence Programme that has a range of over 600 km. We will increase the range to 1,400 km allowing us to track satellites in orbit.

It is far more difficult to intercept ballistic missiles than it is to intercept satellites. Satellites follow a predictive path. Once you track a satellite, you will know its path.

In the BMD project, we track and intercept a 0.1 square meter target over 1,000 km away. A satellite is ten times larger-over 1 meter wide.

We have the communication systems in place, again developed for the BMD project. The first-stage booster developed for the Agni-V can inject a warhead 600 km into space. We also have a kill vehicle developed for the BMD project. The kill vehicle actually homes in onto an incoming missile. We have the Infra-Red and Radar frequency seekers on the kill vehicle that accurately guide it to its target."

Integrated Space Cell - The Integrated Space Cell is the nodal agency within the Government of India which oversees the security of its space based military and civilian hardware systems. It will be jointly operated by all the three services of the Indian Armed Forces, the civilian Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been set up to utilize more effectively the country's space-based assets for military purposes and to look into threats to these assets. It functions under the Integrated Defense Services headquarters of the Indian Ministry of Defense.This command will leverage space technology including satellites. Plans are to upgrade it into a full scale tri-service aerospace command in the future.

Satellite Launch on Demand

DRDO first announced that it is building a capability to launch small satellites on demand to support the armed forces at a press conference during DefExpo 2012 on March 31, 2012.

The capability will provide communication, navigation and guidance support to the armed forces during crises.

"This capability will be based on Agni 4 and Agni 5 missiles and give us capability to launch mini- and micro- satellites within few hours of demand," said DRDO Chief VK Saraswat.

During a press conference in New Delhi on April 20, 2012, a day after the successful maiden launch of the Agni-V missile, DRDO Chief VK Saraswat reiterated his organization's intent to develop on-demand small satellite launch capability using Agni missiles.

The capability would help India to place mini- and micro-satellites in orbit as replacements for any critical navigation or communication satellite disabled by the enemy.

The micro-satellites would have a short life span of between 6 months to a year life.

(Source:Wikipedia, IDP sentinel, http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2011/04/indias-milsat-deployments-on-rise.html)

please add other developments if any.

 

[Levina]

Awesome thread arpiii!!!
I am surprised the wandering TTAs of pdf havent given your thread a positive rating.And then there are many on pdf who have double digit +ratings for just expressing their political views.
Will return to this thread if I find something worth contributing.
Bookmarked!!!

 

[IND151]

Interesting information.

 

[NKVD]

Great news atleast in isro doing great work as sedule

 

[Genesis]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

 

[Robinhood Pandey]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

Weaponizing ?

 

[NKVD]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

Hey its nothing like US star wars programs its just about technological surveillance and dedicated sattelites

 

[IND151]

Background
Officially, India does not have an anti-satellite (ASAT) program; its space program, operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is solely civilian in nature. However, there are other ways to develop the capabilities for a more militaristic space program, and missile defense is one of them.

For example, hit-to-kill missile defense requires developing a ballistic missile that can range high enough to intercept a target either high within the Earth’s atmosphere or outside of it. Both missile defense and ASATs require the capability to quickly and accurately detect and track objects in space. Where they largely differ is in their types of targets: missile defense is aimed at objects moving on a parabolic flight path, while ASATs are intended for objects in orbit. That is a big difference, to be sure, as the two targets follow different types of trajectories and travel at different speeds, and each has its own technical challenges. However, the capacity needed for either program is similar enough that a missile defense program could very reasonably be used as a technology demonstrator program for an ASAT capability. The United States proved this in February 2008, when it used a modified interceptor of its ship-based Aegis missile defense program to destroy a satellite close to atmospheric re-entry, USA 193.

India has been working on its own missile defense system, and has held six test intercept attempts since November 2006 (four of which were reported to be successful).1 The most recent test was March 6, 2011, when a modified Prithi target missile was intercepted by an Advanced Air Defense (AAD) missile at an altitude of about 16 kilometers.

Most Indians believe that of course India needs to have an ASAT program: no question about it in their minds, as they see it as a deterrent to attacks on their space assets. [ I don't think most Indians think this way.]
One could argue that a missile defense capacity may be simply that: presumably not all missile defense programs are intended to provide a dual-use ASAT capability. Nevertheless, India’s missile defense efforts must also be put in the context of statements by Indian officials, which indicate a strong interest in developing an ASAT capability. V. K. Saraswat, scientific advisor to India’s defense minister, said in January 2010, “India is putting together building blocks of technology that could be used to neutralize enemy satellites,” although he conceded that “these are deterrence technologies and quite certainly many of these technologies will not be used.”2 In February 2010, Saraswat followed this up with the statement, “India will validate the anti-satellite capability on the ground through simulation,” and further clarified that “there is no program to do a direct hit to the satellite.”3 More recently, in February of this year, Saraswat claimed, “Our country does not have a policy to attack anybody in space. We don’t believe in it. But as part of the Ballistic Missile Defense Program, we have all the technology elements required to integrate a system through which we can defend our satellites or take care of future requirements.” He went on to say, “India doesn't have a formal anti-satellite weapon policy of attacking satellites in space, but is well geared in case of any eventuality.”4 Finally, Saraswat has said, “Space security involved a gamut of capabilities including the protection of satellites, communication and navigation systems and denying the enemy the use of his own space systems. These technologies would be developed as part of the country's totally indigenous Ballistic Missile Defence Programme.”5

India has also apparently started thinking long and hard about the ramifications of China’s January 2007 ASAT test. Dr. K. Kasturirangan, former head of ISRO, said in September 2009, “China’s ASAT capabilities displayed a few years ago was to show to the world that they too can do it. That China can do what it wants to do and demonstrate that it can do even more… to supersede the best of the world, that is the US.”6 He also stated, “Obviously we start worrying. We cannot overlook this aspect,” and warned that “India has spent a huge sum to develop its capabilities and place assets in space.”7 Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik said in February 2010, “Our satellites are vulnerable to ASAT weapon systems because our neighborhood possesses one.”8

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&r...JUVYYH0bWLBXmWciV3aAq3w&bvm=bv.61965928,d.bmk

 

[Levina]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

And I thought countries from Russia to US everyone had their own military satellites.

 

[Ammyy]

Communication-Centric Intelligence Satellite (CCI-Sat)

What about this one??

Even Isro future launch calendar did not show schedule for any such satellite.
But this article mentioned that it will be launch in 2014???

Can any one help???

 

[Sam Manekshaw]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

Not weaponizing, just using for information sharing unlike you and about intention i think it's pretty clear in the post itself.

 

[dray]

weaponizing space, i think india must be transparent about your intentions.

We are feeling threatened by our bullying neighbors.

 

[SrNair]

We cant get much info in this topic.Like Surya ICBM it also black project with extreme secrecy.