GLIMPSES OF INDIAN SPACE PROGRAM

AND
SUGGESTIONS FOR CARRYING OUT INNOVATIVE
DEVELOPMENTS
Dr. S. PAL*
Outstanding Scientist, Deputy Director

Chairman, GAGAN Project Management board

ISRO SATELLITE CENTRE, BANGALORE
For mankind to survive three things are essential:

♦ LOVE
♦ ENERGY
♦ COMMUNICATION

The last one becomes more important for present

days.
• When it come to communication, now-a-
days there are two buzz words:

♦Communication

♦Information Technology
• The word `Communication' comes from Latin word
`Communico' - meaning `share'. It is communication
more than anything else which has been responsible for
the shrinking of time and distance and with the
development of space technology time and distance
have lost their conventional meaning, permitting men
and women all over the world to share their
experiences, frustrations and successes. Present day
the world has become a GLOBAL VILLAGE. Man is
in a shrinking Globe and expanding Universe. Society
is often described as essentially people in
communication - Communication in simple terms is
nothing but discriminating response to a stimulus. The
"quickness of the response" is increasing in leaps and
bounds day by day.
• There is another word `information' which is also
closely related to communications means "contents" of
message. Claude Shannon defined "information" as
"Reduction of Uncertainty". Information is also
described as "any difference that makes a difference".
Information is a notch on the spectrum with raw data
on low end and knowledge/wisdom on the high end. It
suggests that the raw data when processed becomes
information. Information minus noise is intelligence or
understanding. Intelligence plus experience is
knowledge; and knowledge when further processed,
looked through scholastic eyes, gets philosophized and
so becomes wisdom which is adored over ages. The
present day society is often referred as information
society.
In the past few decades, persons and institutions
have been progressively unsettled by the rapid pace
of social and technological changes brought about
by Communications (telephony, TV etc.). In earlier
times the world around us seemed more stable and
major changes in values, institutions and technology
evolved more slowly. It took centuries for the
Middle Ages to become the Renaissance, yet many
of us have experienced major technological
revolution in one life time in the last century.
Many technological reversals have been seen like
the telephone which should have been on the
wired network has become wireless, while the TV
which was wireless now works on cable. Many
individual spheres of working have become
almost universal, like education has come to the
drawing room from school and colleges, sectors
like banking, medicines, hospitals etc which were
location specific are available on net. There is
tremendous convergence and fusion of
communications, computers and associated
technology in the present era.
We are presently getting on the crest of the
third wave which is INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION REVOLUTION more
appropriately termed as `IT' -Information
Technology, the first being agriculture &
the second being ``Industrial Revolution'.
As we become increasingly networked, our
worlds will grow smaller and bigger
simultaneously.
• The conventional communication tools are:
♦ Telegraphy using copper wire line
♦ Telephony using copper wire line
♦ Television
♦ New papers, books, etc.
♦ Means of Transport
• All these have undergone a tremendous changes. A few new names
for the present day communication techniques are:
♦ Electronic/Voice Mail
♦ Space Communications
♦ Private Data Service using VAST
♦ Auto Text Service
♦ Video text service (Fascimile)
♦ Radio trunking/paging
♦ Cellular Mobile Telephone (PCS)
♦ Wireless in local loops
♦ Local National & International information exchange
intelligent Networks & Integrated Services Networks
• New ones are:
♦ Mobile Satellite Telephone - Personal Communication
Systems
♦ INFOSAT (information satellite)
♦ A major shift from analogue to digital domain
♦ An increase in the value of software as opposed to
hardware content
♦ Extension of optical technology towards the local loop
coupled with increasing use of optical switches and optical
processing
♦ Use of wireless in access technology - New access &
Modulation codes
♦ Ultra broad band services
♦ Extensive use of spread spectrum and code division
multiple access techniques.
• Services planned / in existence are:
♦Virtual Private Networks. / PCS - Personal
Communication Services
♦Call Collect Services / Desk top Video conferencing
♦Card Phone Services/ Tele-education/Telehealth/
Teleshopping
♦Video Telephone / Interactive Video & Video on
demand
♦Multimedia transmission / reception /e-mail/e-
Governance/e-commerce
♦Global positioning/timing system along with SATNAV
♦Digital TV, Direct TV to Home
♦MOST IMPORTANT - THE INTERNET & WORLD
WIDE WEB
• All these need either terrestrial or satellite channels to
serve the user. The present day scenario looks like:
Television Internet TV
Cable TV
Video on
AUDIO SYSTEM Demand
DVD Space

Telephone Internet
Cellular
Cellular
Pager Internet World
Telephony Wide
Fax
Web
Home Banking

Network
Printer Computing
VideoCamera Terrestrial
Video
Desktop PC conferencing
PDA
Credit Card Smart Card

A FUTURE COMMUNICATION SCENARIO

• Everyday we manage to bounce radio waves off
“Artificial repeater” that we have put into space at
around 36000 kms height over the Earth. It is no magic
that all these “Artificial Radio Repeaters” termed as
“Communication Satellites” are found at that altitude.
For at that distance from Earth, these objects orbit this
planet with an orbital period of ~24 hours, precisely
matching the rotation of the Earth, these objects
appear fixed over a single spot on the Equator. It is this
aspect due to that we term these objects as
geosynchronous or geostationary satellites.
The situation changed considerably in eighties and the
communications requirements became really nerve-
racking. Imagine the transmission reception of signals
to satellites from:
♦A ship pitching and rolling on the high seas
♦An aeroplane flying at a speed of >800 kms per
hour
♦An orbiting space vehicle/satellite with speeds >7
to 8 kms per second
♦An aeroplane or a ship in distress
♦A mountaineer/A trekker/A forest guard/An
elephant/A tiger/A bird/A turtle/a dolphin
♦A man always on move / A motor vehicle.
If using satellites to communicate is a great marvel,
doing the same without stopping or even slowing down
is almost miracle.
Space Communication is provided by satellites in various
orbits. Satellites have been put in to all these orbits and
successful communication links have been established. It will
be a matter of large discussion if one starts explaining the pros
& cons of the orbits & their satellites.

800 KM MEO 20,000 KM MEO

10,000
10,000 KMKM MEO
MEO

GEO

VARIOUS ORBITS
INDIAN NATIONAL SPACE SYSTEMS

LAUNCH
VEHICLES INSAT IRS
 OPERATIONAL
JEP
APPLNS
ROAD MAP – Satellites & Launch vehicles
INSAT-3D
ADCOS INSAT - 3 INSAT–4
ICC A,B,C,E A ,B ,C RISAT
AERIAL NNRMS 2000- 2003
EXPTS SITE SRE
IRS - 1 C , D
STEP KALPANA-1
1988 & 90
TES 2002 CARTOSAT
INSAT - 2 2001 2/2A/2B
A,B,C,D,E CHANDRAYAAN-1
1992-99

ASTROSAT
INSAT - 1 IRS HAMSAT GSAT 1- 4
A,B,C,D IRS - 1A ,B P 2- 6
APPLE 1982 & 83 MEGHA-TROPIQUE
1981 SROSS
PSLV GSLV MK I, III
ROHINI 1987- 94
1979-81 ISTRAC LEOS IISU
ASLV

BHASKARA -1 , 2 SLV-3 MCF

1979 & 81
NRSA
ARYABHATTA
1975 RRSSC
1st ROCKET VSSC
1963 ISAC
SAC
SSTC
SDSC LPSC
ESCES
INCOSPAR
1960 1980 1990 2000 Beyond …
 2003
1995/1997
1999
  LISS3 - 23 M; 4 XS
LISS-3 (23/70M) LISS4 - 5.8 M; 3-XS
STEERABLE PAN (5.8 M);   AWIFS - 60 M; 4-XS
WiFS (188M) (1KM RESOLUTION;
EVERY 30 MNUTESS)
2005
1994 1996

LISS-2 WiFS MOS,X-Ray

PAN - 2.5M, 30 KM, F/A
1999
1988/91
OCEANSAT OCM, MSMR
2005
LISS-1&2 (72/36M,
4 BANDS; VIS & NIR)
2001 PAN Better than 1M
2007
1982
2006
1979
 INSAT-3B KALPANA-1
INSAT-3A

INSAT-1 INSAT-3E GSAT 1 - 5

INSAT-2E INSAT-3D

APPLE INSAT 4
Series

INSAT-2 C,D INSAT-3C

Uniquely tailored to develop innovative 
INSAT-2 A,B grass root  level applications 
• C-band Fixed Satellite Service ; Ku-band Fixed Satellite Services ; Broadcast
Satellite Services ; and Mobile Satellite Services
• World’s largest domestic satellite communication system (149 transponders
& growing)
INSAT SYSTEM
INSAT APPLICATIONS
BROADCAST COMMUNICATION

 Television Broadcasting  Speech Circuits On

 Direct To Home (DTH) Trunk Routes
 TV & Radio Networking  VSAT Connectivity

METEOROLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENTAL

 Meteorological Imaging  Tele-health

 Data Collection Platform OTHERS  Tele-education
 Disaster Warning  Emergency Communication
 Mobile Satellite Service
 Search and Rescue
 Satellite Navigation
TELE EDUCATION
EduSat

Video Video
+ +
Audio Audio

Audio
5 Spot Beams in Ku Band
1 National Beam in Ku Band
1 National Beam in Ext C Band (6
Channels)

Teaching-End Class Room- Class Room-

1 2
TELEMEDICINE

Referral
Hospitals
70 Hospitals
• 53 Dist/ Rural Hospitals
• 17 Super Specialty Hospitals

Video Conferencing
Health Specialist
Centre

Cardiology

Pathology
Video
AM B ULANC E
Conferencing

Panel of Doctors
SPACE & DISASTER MANAGEMENT

SPACE FOR CONNECTIVITY & OBSERVATION

OBSERVATION FOR
INFORMATION

Preparedness FLOOD
MAP

DROUGHT
Mitigation Disaster Event MAP

INFORMATION FOR DAMAGE

DECISION MAP

Reconstruction Relief
HAZARD
ZONES

DECISION FOR ACTION

Rehabilitation RISK
MAP
ISRO LAUNCHERS

PSLV GSLV GSLV-MkIII

WEIGHT(t) 294 400 629
PAYLOAD (kg) 1200 SSO 1800 GTO 4000 GTO
FLIGHTS 8 (94 –03) 3 ( 2001-04) --
GEO 34,83,132

GSO 55,111
Evolution of space technology in
INDIA
(1970-2005)
Al sheet structure  Graphite & Titanium

SPACECRAFT STRUCTURE : I-2K BUS

• 100 Cm diameter Rocket  3.5 mtr Rocket
• <50 Kg rocket  450 Tonnes
• Solid propellent  Liquid  Cryo
400 Kg Space craft  4000kg Space craft

Arybhatta INSAT 4C
INDIAN IMAGING CAPABILITY - SATELLITES

• EVERY 30 MIN. IMAGING • EVERY 22 DAYS

• 1:1M+ SCALES IMAGING

• CLIMATE/WEATHER • 1:50K SCALES

IRS-1C/1D • DETAILED RESOURCES

SURVEY
METSAT

• EVERY 2 DAYS IMAGING • EVERY 5 DAYS

IMAGING
• 1:250K SCALES
• 1:12500 SCALES
• OCEAN APPLICATIONS
• LARGE SCALE
IRS-1C/1D,P6 MAPPING
IRS-P4 LISS • STEREO CAPABILITY

• EVERY 5 DAYS IMAGING • LOCAL AREA IMAGING

IRS-1C/1D • 1:2000/4000/1:8000
• 1:250K SCALES
SCALES
• NATIONAL SURVEYS
IRS-P6 • STEREO CAPABILITY
TES
• STEP AND STARE
400 KMS obit  To Lunar Orbit

Arybahatta
Optical Remote Sensing  RADAR imaging

IRS RISAT
• CMOS / BIPOLAR  ASICS,FPGA,DSP,GaAsFET
MMIC,MEMS
• PCB  MLB  MLHMCs
• 1KBS(Memory)  128 GB(SSR)
• Cold compressed gas
bottle spin stabilization  3 Axis Stabilization
• VHF,UHF, L,S,C,X,Ku  Ka & V Bands
• Orbital Accuracy 1-5 Kms  <10M – 20 Cm (Use of
GPS)
• 100 Kbps (BHASKARA)  620 Mbps(RISAT)
• AM (ARYABHATTA)  QPSK,
DATACOMPRESSION
ENCRYPTION
Evolution of Antenna
Activities at ISAC

An Example of innovative thinking and

executing technological jobs and achieving
results with in the available resources
Antenna Pattern Measurement - Setup
First Far Field Range of ISAC
Omni Antenna Measurements on APPLE
Volumetric Model Measurements on IRS-1A
TEST FACILITIES

RF SHIELDED ANECHOIC CHAMBER

PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA CHARACTERISATION
IN ANECHOIC CHAMBER
COMPACT ANTENNA TEST FACILITY
INSAT – 3E TESTING AT CATF
 Ground Station Antennas

32 mtr Deep Space

Yagi Antenna for Network Antenna for
Aryabhatta Chandrayan

High Efficiency (70%)

Ground
Station Antenna for IRS
 For Technological challenges to be met & innovative developments to be
carried out :
Guidance and Supervision
Reasonable Mid course reviews Mid course Proto
A) Definition of Job by seniors & peers corrections
reviews

Final Product
review
B) If you know about the final
end product

You must also know how to

do / go about it

Rest is hard work

C) Money does not encourage (on short term basis), but it is the
technical freedom of work + technical challenges, which encourage
more provided reasonable monetary benefits & working environment
& ambience are provided
D) Always have a time bound goal of never
more than 2 and half years.

Note :
This assumes that aim is not to reinvent the wheel or a
wish that miracle may happen
THANK YOU