India’s Def Space Symposium

Introduction.
 Space is transforming into the new sphere of warfare
 To enhance the combat capabilities in land, sea, air and cyber
domains.
 Under the aegis of the Indian Space Association (ISpA) +
DRDO
 Focus on the growing government and military interest in the
space domain
 Explores ways to enhance India’s space capabilities.

Key Features
 Event as Part of the deliberations under ‘Mission Def-
Space,’ –
 Develop innovative solutions in the space domain through
the Indian industry and start-ups.
Discussions Held-
 Need for developing dual-use platforms with cutting-edge
technology
 Increasing Offn an def space domain capb
 Explore fd of miniaturization of satellites and reusable
launch platforms to mitigate costs and challenges.
 Enhance space situational awareness capability, safeguard
space assets with counter space capabilities,
 Build Resilience and redundancy in a space-based
infrastructure.

CDS Emphasised on
 Need for developing dual-use platforms with a special focus
on incorporating cutting-edge technology and expansion of
NAVIC constellation,
 Providing agile space-based Intelligence, Svl & Recce ,
Secure stal based comnSurveillance and Reconnaissance
(ISR) and ensuring secure satellite-assisted communications.
 Recent tests by Russia and China - development of new
kinetic weapons will lead to war in space "becoming a reality"
 Need to factor in the presence of trans-domain weapons-
targeting from air or from inner to outer space, and integrate
future space-based surveillance networks.

India’s Stand on Militarisation of Space

1. Pacifist apch so far- mainly civ space agencies
2. Now wants to pace up weaponization of space
3. Rg of threats to safeguard own space assets
4. In 2019 - first ever simulated space warfare exercise
(IndSpaceX) withan eye on Chinese threats and successfully
tested an anti-satellite weapon (Mission Shakti) in the same
year.
5. Launch of Def Space Agency + Def Sapce Research
Agency
6. Space is as much recognisedas a military domain as land,
water, air and cyber space.

Mission Def-Space
7. Devp innovative solutions for Tri serv based on def reqmts
8. Through Indian industry and start-ups.- Invitaions to find
solns to offn and def problems
9. Devp rg of mil appls for space warfare
10. Enable the private industries to offer solutions to theAF to
future offn and def reqmts of own + FFC
 ISRO’s new NavIC Satellite NVS-01
 Using the GSLV-F12, placed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
NVS-01F
 First of the second-gen satls of ISRO’s NVS series of paylds.
 It weighs 2,232 kg, heaviest in the constellation.
 Payods carried - navigation payloads L1, L5 and S bands.
Purpose
 Provide continuity for the NavIC that offers accurate and real-time navig within
India and up to a 1,500 km region around the country.

In the First generation, - 07 satls in IRNSS- renamed to NAVIC(Unique brand )

Atomic Clock: - Rubidium atomic clock onboard, a significant technology

developed by India.
Reason for launch
- Atomic closkcs of few existing stals failed- data not coming
-satellites cannot provide accurate location information anymore.
L1 signals for better use in wearable devices:
- Existing sig freq L5 & S Addl it will send in L1
- increasing interoperability with other satl based navig sys
- increase the use of the regional naving sys (due to L1) wearable devices and
personal trackers that use low-power, single-freq chips.
Longer Mission Life: for 12 yrs- existing – 10 yrs

NAVIC
 NavIC or the IRNSS is designed with a constellation of 7 satellites and a network
of ground stations operating 24×7.
 There are a total of 08 satellites however only seven remain active.
 Three satellites in geostationary orbit and four satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
 The constellations' first satellite (IRNSS-1A) was launched on 1st July 2013 and
the eighth satellite IRNSS-1I was launched in April 2018.
 With the seventh launch of the constellation's satellite (IRNSS-1G), IRNSS was
renamed NavIC by India’s Prime Minister in 2016.
 It was recognised by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a part of
the World-Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) for operation in the Indian
Ocean Region in 2020.

Potential Uses:
Terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation; Disaster management;
Vehicle tracking and fleet management (especially for mining and transportation
sector); Integration with mobile phones; Precise timing (as for ATMs and power
grids);
Mapping and geodetic data capture.

What is the Advantage of Having a Regional Navigation System?

Regional Navigation System:
NavIC is India's own regional navigation system developed by ISRO. It covers the
Indian landmass and extends up to 1,500 km around it. The primary purpose of
NavIC is to cater to the positioning and navigation needs of users in this specific
region.
Ground Stations:
ISRO is working on setting up ground stations in countries like Japan, France, and
Russia. These additional ground stations will enhance the accuracy and coverage of
NavIC signals through better triangulation.
Signal Reception:
NavIC signals reach India at a 90-degree angle, making it easier for the signals
to penetrate congested areas, dense forests, and mountainous terrain. In contrast,
GPS signals arrive at an angle, which can sometimes pose challenges for reception
in certain locations.
Availability:
NavIC signals are primarily designed to serve the Indian region. Therefore, users
within the coverage area can expect reliable access to NavIC signals, even in
remote or hard-to-reach areas.
XPoSAT: INDIA’S FIRST POLARIMETRY MISSION
Central Idea
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is partnering with the Raman Research
Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru to develop the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat), set to launch
later this year.
What is XPoSat?
• XPoSat aims to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme
conditions.
• It is India’s first polarimetry mission and the world’s second, with NASA’s Imaging X-ray
Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) being the other major mission launched in 2021.
• IXPE carries three state-of-the-art space telescopes to observe polarized X-rays from neutron
stars and supermassive black holes, providing insights into the geometry and inner workings of
the light source.
XPoSat Payloads
• XPoSat will carry two scientific payloads in a low Earth orbit.
• The primary payload, POLIX, will measure the polarimetry parameters of X-rays, observing
approximately 40 bright astronomical sources across different categories during the mission’s
planned five-year lifetime.
• The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will provide spectroscopic
information on how light is absorbed and emitted by objects, allowing observations of X-ray
pulsars, black hole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron stars, and more.
X-Rays in Space
• X-rays in space have higher energy and shorter wavelengths, ranging from 0.03 to 3
nanometers.
• X-rays are emitted by objects with temperatures in the millions of degrees Celsius, such as
pulsars, galactic supernova remnants, and black holes.
• Polarized light, consisting of organized moving electric and magnetic waves, plays a role in X-
ray observations, and polarized lenses are used by fishermen to reduce glare from sunlight.
Significance of Polarimetry
• Polarimetry involves measuring the angle of rotation of the plane of polarized light as it
passes through certain transparent materials.
• XPoSat’s primary payload, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), developed by RRI and
UR Rao Satellite Centre, will measure the degree and angle of polarization in X-rays from
astronomical sources.
• The emission mechanisms of various astronomical sources are complex, and understanding
them poses challenges that polarimetry can help address.