Context:
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) releases Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023
Key Highlights:
- During 2023, more objects (3143 objects) were placed in orbit compared to 2022 globally (2533 objects).
- There were 5 major on-orbit break-up events in 2023, adding to space debris.
- From the start of India’s space journey until 31st December 2023, 127 Indian satellites have been sent into space.
- In 2023, all 7 launches of ISRO including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 Mission were successful.
- 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.
Source: Times of India
Previous Year Question
Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of lightyears away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.
(b) ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.
(c) Possibility of intergalactic space travel through ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.
(d) It enabled scientists to understand ‘singularity’
Answer: (b)
