Lok Sabha Question No. 2548 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Indian NavIC System
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 07, 2024

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2548 INDIAN NAVIC SYSTEM

## 2548.  SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the status of India's NavIC system and the manner in which it is  different  from  the  contemporary  systems  vis  a  vis  GPS, GLONASS;
- (b) the impact ISRO & Earth observation satellites had on various sectors, such as agriculture, disaster management, and environmental monitoring;
- (c) the details of the progress made by the country in its mission to send humans to space;
- (d) the future plans of ISRO including the development of human spaceflight capabilities and exploration of deeper space; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to promote private sector participation in the space sector?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

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- (a) India's  NavIC  is  an  independent  regional  navigation  satellite system  designed  to  provide  PNT  (Position,  Navigation  and Timing)  service  over  Indian  landmass  and  1500  kilometers beyond.  NavIC  space  segment  consists  of  a  constellation  of seven satellites in geosynchronous orbits. Currently, there are four  functional  satellites  providing  PNT  service.  The  satellites that are no longer capable of PNT service have been repurposed for additional useful services like safety-of-life messaging. The full constellation of seven satellites is expected to be completed in the coming years.

NavIC  is  a  regional  system,  whereas  GPS  and  GLONASS  are global  systems.  However,  the  performance  of  NavIC,  as  seen with a seven satellite constellation, is at par with the contemporary systems in the envisaged service area.

- (b) ISRO's  Earth  Observation  (EO)  satellites  are  providing  data  for applications  in  the  domains  of  Agriculture,  Water,  Environment, Urban  &  Rural  Development,  and  for  Disaster  Management Support,  which  have  been  internalised  /  institutionalised  by  the respective users.

In  the  Agriculture  domain,  EO  data  has  facilitated  advance information on yield of major crops and in assessing & monitoring agriculture drought situations. The EO data is also being used in the PMFBY  programme,  benefiting farmers and agricultural insurance companies.

EO  data  is  used  for  disaster  management  support  for  deriving near-real time information; development of early warning models and  damage  assessment  with  reference  to  disasters  such  as

Floods, Forest fires, Cyclones, Landslides and Earthquakes. Such inputs  help  in  decision  making  for  disaster  response,  planning long term mitigation measures, and also in reducing the loss of lives;  and  extent  &  cost  of  evacuation  operations  for  major disasters such as cyclones & floods.

EO  data  is  also  providing  information  on  aerosols,  agricultural residue  burning  and  weather  parameters,  for  environmental monitoring and citizens' benefit.

All these applications provide tangible and intangible contributions for societal development.

- (c) The progress made for Gaganyaan Programme are as follows:
- i. Human Rated Launch Vehicle: Ground testing of propulsion stages, including solid, liquid and cryogenic engine, towards human rating of the launch vehicle has been completed.
- ii. Crew  Module  Escape  System:  Design  &  realization  of  five types of Crew Escape System solid motors completed. Static testing of all five types of solid motors completed. First Test Vehicle  mission  (TV-D1)  for  the  validation  of  crew  escape system  and  parachute  deployment  has  been  successfully accomplished.
- iii. Orbital Module Systems: Design of Crew Module and Service Module  structure  have  been  completed.  Various  Parachute Systems have been tested through Integrated Main parachute Air drop Test and Rail Track Rocket Sledge Tests. Ground  test  programme  towards  human  rating  of  Crew Module Propulsion System has been completed and Service

Module Propulsion System test programme is nearing completion. Characterization of  Thermal Protection  System has been completed.

- iv. Gaganyatri  Training:  Two  out  of  three  semesters  of  the training programme completed. Independent Training Simulator and Static Mockup Simulators realized.
- v. Major  Ground  Infrastructure:  Critical  ground  facilities  such as  Orbital  Module  Preparation  Facility,  Astronaut  Training Facility, Oxygen Testing Facility have been operationalized.
- vi. Gaganyaan First Uncrewed mission: Solid and Liquid Propulsion Stages of human rated launch vehicle are ready for flight integration. C32 Cryogenic stage is nearing completion.  Crew  Module  and  Service  Module  structure realization  completed.  Flight  integration  activities  are  in progress.
4. (d) The mandate of Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability  to  indigenously  carry  out  human  spaceflight  to  Low earth orbit. In continuation of Gaganyaan programme, ISRO has developed  a  comprehensive  road  map  for  human  spaceflight activities.  As  per  the  roadmap,  ISRO  is  planning  to  carry  out crewed  and  uncrewed  follow-on  missions.  The  objectives  of these mission will be to induct various indigenous technologies such as flight suits, crew seat, viewport and advanced avionics systems.

ISRO  is  also  formulating  a  proposal  to  develop  and  deploy Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) in Low earth orbit. Currently, the teams are working on the preparation of a detailed project report  for  the  same.  These  programmes will pave  the  way for demonstration of Lunar landing of an Indian by 2040.

- (e) The Government of India has announced reforms in the space sector  in  June,  2020,  towards  enabling  the  private  players  to provide end-to-end services  towards  enhancing  the Indian space economy to a significant level.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation centre (INSPACe), a single-window agency, was formed under Department of Space, to promote, regulate and authorize space activities of Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs).

Various  schemes  to  encourage  and  hand  hold  private  sector also  announced  and  implemented  by  IN-SPACe  i.e.  Seed  Fund Scheme,  Pricing  Support  Policy,  Mentorship  Support,  Design Lab for  NGEs,  Skill  Development  in  Space  Sector,  Technology Transfer to NGEs. Further, in order to carry out space activities, the facilities across various ISRO centres will also be permitted for use by private sector through IN-SPACe.

IN-SPACe  has  signed  around  58  MoUs  with  NGEs  to  provide necessary support for realization of space systems and applications  envisaged  by  such  NGEs,  which  is  expected  to increase  the  industry  participation  in  manufacturing  of  launch vehicles and satellites.

Indian  Space  Policy-2023  was  released  in  April  2023  as  an overarching,  composite  and  dynamic  framework  to  implement the space reform vision. It helps to promote greater participation  of  Non-Governmental  Entities  (NGEs)  i.e.  private sector in the value chain of space economy in order to develop robust, innovative and competitive space ecosystem aiming for a larger share of India in global space economy. It also enables the NGEs to make use of infrastructure created through public funds.  Further,  amendment  was  made  to  the  Foreign  Direct Investment policy for space sector, enabling higher threshold of foreign investments in various space domains. M/s. New Space India Ltd. (NSIL), a CPSE under the Department of  Space  will  transfer  the  matured  technologies  developed  by ISRO to Indian industries. ISRO will also nurture Indian space industries  by  sharing  its  experiences  on  quality  and  reliability protocols, documentation, testing procedures etc. Announcement of opportunities and initiatives like 'Atmanirbharta in development of space technologies/ products/ systems  through  Indian  industry'  are  also  being  undertaken offering challenges in new domains of space technology.

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