IS4OM Facility Launched At ISRO Control Centre In Bengaluru, To Help In Safeguarding India's Space Assets

Around 60 Start-Ups have registered with ISRO since "unlocking" of the Indian space sector recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and quite a few of them are dealing with projects related to Space debris management, Union Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh said on Monday (11 July).

The other start-up proposals vary from nano-satellite, launch vehicle, ground systems, research etc, he added.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the "ISRO System for Safe & Sustainable Operation" (IS4OM) at ISRO Control Centre in Bengaluru on Monday, Singh said that the passion of private players and innovative start-ups will augment the role of the Department of Space in protecting India’s interests in Space by developing all-round capabilities in the domains of space transportation, debris management, infrastructure and applications.

Singh said IS4OM facility will aid India in achieving its SSA (Space Situational Awareness) goals by providing a comprehensive and timely information of the space environment to users.

This multi-domain awareness platform will bring a prompt, accurate and efficient information on on-orbit collision, fragmentation, atmospheric re-entry risk, space based strategic information, hazardous asteroids and space weather forecast, according to a Department of Space statement.

ISRO has been taking necessary measures to safeguard all its space assets from intentional and accidental close approaches by space objects including operational spacecraft and space debris objects, the minister said.

He added that Space Situational Awareness activities have many strategic implications such as identifying and monitoring other operational spacecraft with close approaches, having overpass over Indian region, intentional manoeuvres with suspicious motives and re-entry within the Indian region.

IS4OM facility can support all routine operations safeguarding Indian space assets, mitigating collision threats from space objects through specific collision avoidance manoeuvres, information required for strategic purposes and research activities in Space Debris and Space Situational Awareness, the minister said.