NETRA Project of ISRO

Why in news?

• With space junk posing increasing threat to Indian assets in space, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is building up its orbital debris tracking capability by deploying new radars and optical telescopes under the Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) project.

About NETRA Project:

• Project NETRA is an initiative by the ISRO which is an early warning system in space to detect debris and hazards to the Indian satellites.
• Under this project, the ISRO plans to put up many observational facilities like telescopes, connected radars, data processing units, and a control center.
• With the help of telescopes, radars, data processing units, etc., the researchers and scientists will be able to spot and track objects as small as 10 cm, up to a range of 3,400 km and equal to a space orbit of around 2,000 km
• It aims at capturing the geostationary orbit (GEO), which is closely 36000 km away and is the point where the communication satellites operate

Significance:

• Currently India gets its information about the space debris from North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), which is an initiative by the U.S. and Canada. But the exact and appropriate data cannot be gathered from NORAD. Thus, this project holds great significance for ISRO researchers and scientists.
• With this project, India aims at gaining its own capability of Space Situational Awareness (SSA).
• This accomplishment will help ISRO predict any harm or threat that may affect Indian satellites in space
• This project will bring India at an equal platform with the other International space agencies which have already been tracking their satellites to protect them from debris and hazards

PRACTICE QUESTION

With reference to ‘NETRA Project’, consider the following statements

1. It is an early warning system in space to detect debris and hazards to the Indian satellites.

2. It is designed and developed by DRDO

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer