IN approaches ISRO for spy, communication satellite

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Navy approaches ISRO for spy, communication satellite

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The Navy Chief said that networking among all platforms by using satellites is necessary to bring synergy in the deployment of weapons and sensors.

NEW DELHI, DHNS:


The Navy has approached the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to have exclusive satellites for communication and high-resolution space imaging in an effort to modernise naval operations.

“We have recently approached ISRO for two types of satellites. One would be for communication to be parked in the geo-stationary orbit at an altitude of 36,000 km while the second one would be for imaging from the space,†a senior Navy officer told Deccan Herald on Wednesday.

Asked what would be the resolution for the imaging satellite, the officer said that it should be able to give images having resolution of less than one metre.
Satellites which produces such high resolution images — routinely used for spying by many countries — can read the license plate of a car from the sky.

So far ISRO has made only one satellite named technology experiment satellite (TES), which produces images having one-mtr resolution. TES was launched in October 21, 2001 on board an indigenous polar satellite launch vehicle and its images are believed to have been supplied to the Army periodically for strategic purpose.

“A formal agreement with ISRO may happen soon,†the officer said, adding that the Navy in the past had used images from Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) series of satellites for various reasons.

The new Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash too admitted that the Navy was seeking the launch of a dedicated communication satellite through ISRO as part of Navy’s new initiative of networking of all platforms. He, however, did not comment on the imaging satellite.

Talking to reporters for the first time after taking over as the new Navy Chief, Admiral Prakash said that networking among all platforms is necessary to bring synergy in the deployment of weapons and sensors.

Asked about the long-pending Scorpene submarine deal, he said the project to acquire six French submarines is awaiting Cabinet clearance. Once acquired, Scorpene can match the capability of Pakistan’s Augusta class submarines. Interestingly, a French company DCN International is making both.

“The Cabinet Committee on Security sought certain clarifications which have been provided to them. The process slowed down during the election phase and now its being revived,†Admiral Prakash said. It is learnt that one of the reasons for delay is certain political pressure to allow German HDW submarines instead of the French product.

The Navy chief for the first time acknowledged the existence of the advanced technology vessel (ATV) project to build Indian’s own nuclear-powered submarine. “It’s a DRDO project and the Navy has no knowledge about its status,†he said tersely.

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug122004/n5.asp
 
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