On December 28, Chief S. Somanath of ISRO announced that the Indian space agency plans to launch fifty geo-intelligence-related satellites over the following five years. As part of the endeavor, a layer of satellites in different orbits will be developed with the capability to scan thousands of kilometers and track army movements.
The head of ISRO stated during an event hosted by IIT-Bombay that the number of satellites India currently has is insufficient and should be “ten times what we have today”. Speaking at ‘Techfest,’ an annual science and technology event hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay here, he stated that the present size of its satellite fleet is insufficient and that it should be “ten times what we have today”.
According to him, it was critical to increase satellites’ capacity for change detection, provide a more data-driven and AI-related approach to data analysis, minimize data downloads, and obtain just the required information. The head of ISRO stated that spacecraft can monitor a nation’s boundaries and neighboring areas.
India Having a Dynamic Year Ahead
In 2023, ISRO achieved seven successful launches, including the momentous Chandrayaan-3 moon landing in February and SSLV-D2 in the same month. The first Sun observatory in India, Aditya-L1, is scheduled to open in early January.
Following the success of 2023, this is how ISRO envisions 2024. Launched in the first quarter of next year are the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat), India’s first polarimetry mission, the deployment of INSAT-3DS satellites, and NISAR, ISRO, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s joint venture. During this time, the Gaganyaan test flight will also occur. After these, the Shukrayaan-1, an orbiter to Venus, and the Mangalyaan-2, ISRO’s second mission to Mars, might be launched in the latter part of the year.
ISRO’s increasing cosmic prowess
According to S. Venkateswarlu, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India plans to launch 50 satellites for geo-intelligence purposes in the next five years. This will involve building a layer of satellites in various orbits that will be able to track troop movements and image thousands of kilometers of territory.
However, speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay’s annual “Techfest” science and technology festival, he stressed the need to enhance satellites’ capacity to identify changes, increase the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven methods for data analysis, minimize data downloads, and obtain only the information that is required. He pointed out that spacecraft can observe a nation’s borders and surrounding areas.
So basically, Armed with a plethora of ambitious space projects, a thriving space start-up ecosystem, and an improved worldwide standing, India is primed to enter 2024. The globe has been captivated by the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) increasing cosmic prowess due to its efficient and inventive methodology.
What are the implications for India’s space economy with 50 launches?
It is conceivable. An increasing worldwide phenomenon is the interest in small LEO satellite constellations for communication, which opened up new possibilities for this launch. Additionally, as the ISRO chairman pointed out, spacecraft may observe a nation’s borders and surrounding areas.
However, it also have a long-term commitment to commercial exploitation (OneWeb plans to use ISRO to launch a mirror mission with the same number of satellites). This presents a chance for us to commercialize the GSLV-Mark III rocket. These days, GSLV has joined PSLV as a commercial service provider. Given that India will be participating in more international satellite constellations, this indicates a shift in the atmosphere and a boost for India’s space growth.
