Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) releases Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023 | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) releases Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023

Posted 30 Apr 2024

2 min read

  • ISSAR for 2023, compiled by ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM), indicated a steady growth in the space object population
    • IS4OM has been operational since 2022 to safeguard ISRO’s space assets.

 

  • Key Highlights: 
    • Global Scenario: During 2023, more objects (3143 objects) were placed in orbit compared to 2022 (2533 objects).
      • There were five major on-orbit break-up events in 2023, adding to space debris
    • Indian Scenario: From the start of India’s space journey until 31st December 2023, 127 Indian satellites have been sent into space. 
      • In 2023, all seven launches of ISRO including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L-1 were successful
    • Risk to Space Assets: There is increasing trend in Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAMs) to safeguard the operational spacecraft in case of close approaches by other space objects.

 

  • Concerns with Space Object population growth:
    • Risks to spacecraft operations: India had to carry out 23 CAMs to protect Indian space assets.
    • Kessler syndrome: Phenomenon in which the junk in orbit around Earth reaches a point where it just creates more and more space debris.
    • Threat to astronauts’ lives due to space debris.

 

Risk Mitigation Steps taken by India:

  • Space Object Proximity Analysis (SOPA) for Satellites: Prediction of close approaches through IS4OM/ ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
  • Collision Avoidance Analysis (COLA) for Launch Vehicles
  • ISRO’s NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis (NETRA) project
  • Controlled re-entry of decommissioned satellites/spacecrafts
  • International Cooperation such as Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) with 13 space agencies.
  • Tags :
  • ISRO
  • Indian Space Situational Assessment Report
  • Kessler Syndrome
  • NETRA
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