After Operation Sindoor, India has decided to speed up its space-based defence efforts. The government is now planning to launch 52 dedicated satellites to support the armed forces.
These satellites will help improve surveillance, communication, and coordination during both peace and conflict.
India is also working on a full military space doctrine. This will guide how the country uses space for defence. One major step is Phase 3 of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) programme. This phase was approved by the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security in October last year.
The SBS program will cost ₹ 26,968 crore. Includes the construction and launch of 21 satellites by ISRO and 31 more by private companies. These satellites will cover terrestrial, sea, air and space domains.
In this article, we will take a look at how defence surveillance satellites work and why they are becoming a vital part of modern military operations.
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What Are Military Satellites?
Source: IADN
Military satellites are spacecraft orbiting Earth that serve various military functions, including communications, navigation, and reconnaissance. These functions support a wide range of military tasks on the ground.
Why are These Military Satellites Made?
These military satellites were made to serve a wide range of critical functions, including scientific research, meteorology, geodesy, and, most notably, surveillance.
- These satellites—often referred to as "spy satellites"—are primarily engineered for surveillance and data-gathering.
- They deliver vital intelligence on enemy capabilities and force deployments and are instrumental in operations such as monitoring compliance with nuclear test bans.
- In addition to tracking the development and positioning of military hardware, they assess bomb damage and evaluate enemy strength.
Military satellites also support remote sensing activities, collecting and analysing data on the Earth's surface. Its applications extend to fields such as geodesy and atmospheric research.
An excellent example is the Navstar GPS, operated by the US Air Force. This highly accurate navigation system allows for real-time tracking of military assets on land, sea and air. With more than 20 orbit satellites, it offers global coverage, extending from the equator to the poles.
How Do Defence Surveillance Satellites Work?
Defence Surveillance Satellites are more like 'Eyes in the Sky', providing a critical advantage by providing detailed, timely intelligence from a global perspective while not endangering human lives on the ground.
1) Types of Sensors and Their Functionality:
- Optical (Imaging) Satellites: These are perhaps the most commonly known.
- They have powerful telescopes and cameras to take high-resolution images of the soil surface.
- Modern systems use digital imaging and transfer data via encrypted radio couplings, a significant advance from previous satellites returning physical film canisters.
- They can provide clear photographs of military installations, track troop movements and even identify camouflaged goals using advanced spectral imaging (detect objects based on their chemical signatures).
- They are crucial to making high-resolution maps for assignment planning and understanding of terrain.
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Radar Imaging Satellites (Synthetic Aperture Radar – SAR):
- Unlike optical satellites, SAR uses radar signals instead of light.
- This allows them to "look" through clouds and smoke and operate effectively at night, providing all-weather, all-lighting monitoring.
- They can detect subtle changes on the ground, making them useful for tracking vehicle movements or changes in infrastructure.
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Infrared Sensors (Early Warning Satellites):
- These satellites are specialised in detecting heat signatures.
- They are primarily used for rocket start-up detection and identifying the intense heat plumes from rockets as they rise. They can also detect nuclear detonations.
- Examples include the US Defence Support Program (DSP) and its successor, the space-based infrared system (SBIRS).
- Signals Intelligence (Sigint) satellites: These "silent sonars" satellites are designed to cut off electronic signals emitted from the Earth.
- Communication Intelligence (Comint): They can be intercepted on radio and microwave communications used by military devices, bases or leadership.
- Electronic Intelligence (Elint): They can collect signals from radar systems, allowing the military to map an opponent's sensor and communication nodes, crucial to electronic warfare, and suppress the enemy's air defence.
- Foreign instrumentation signals Intelligence (FISINT): They can collect telemetry signals from missile tests or spacecraft and reveal performance properties.
2) Orbits and Coverage:
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO): At a few hundred kilometres above the surface of the Earth, this is the typical altitude of many surveillance satellites orbiting in LEO.
- This allows for very high-resolution imagery due to closer proximity to the surface.
- To see a large area, you must have a constellation with many satellites since each satellite has a very long “revisit time” (the time it takes to observe the same location again).
- Geostationary Orbit (GEO): Some early warning or communications satellites are placed in GEO (around 35,786 km above the equator).
- In this geostationary orbit, the satellite is fixed in position relative to the Earth’s surface, allowing it to cover a wide area with constant, real-time monitoring.
3) Data Collection and Transmission:
- When data is collected by the various sensors, it is usually treated aboard the satellite to some extent.
- The data is then transferred to ground stations via encrypted radio couplings to prevent cutting and ensure safety.
- More advanced techniques like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are being applied to that massive scale of satellite imagery and data, which helps users detect threats, identify patterns, and gain predictive insight quicker and more accurately than ever before.
4) Applications and Impact:
Defence surveillance satellites are essential to contemporary military warfare, enabling defence forces to:
- Strategic, Tactical, and Operational Awareness: We need near real-time information on adversary activities, troop movements and our critical infrastructure.
- Early Warning: Better detection of missile launches and nuclear activities, giving government and military leaders valuable time to respond.
- Targeting: Supplying detailed geographic coordinates for targeting smart bombs and precision-guided missiles, and using artillery.
- GPS-based tracking and navigation capabilities for military forces.
- Border and Coastal Surveillance: Keeping an eye on remote, hard-to-reach areas.
- Damage Assessment: The mere knowledge that a nation possesses advanced surveillance capabilities can discourage hostile actions.
India and Defence Surveillance Satellites: Does India Have Spy Satellites?
Yes, India has spy satellites as part of its efforts to strengthen national security and surveillance capabilities, particularly border monitoring. India is actively developing its defence surveillance capabilities and plans to launch a constellation of 52 spy satellites by 2029.
These satellites will strengthen India's ability to monitor opponents and collect intelligence, and significantly strengthen national security.
Current development in India's spy satellite program
- Start Timeline: India aims to distribute 52 spy satellites over the next five years, focusing on strengthening its defence. The timeline for the space-based monitoring program (SBS-3) has been accelerated, which reduces the distribution period from four years to just one year and targets the end of 2026.
- Collaboration with the private sector: The initiative involves significant cooperation with private companies. Isro will develop 21 satellites, while private companies such as Anant Technologies, Centum Electronics and Alpha Design will produce the remaining 31. This public-private partnership marks a shift to utilise innovation in the private sector in India's space economy.
- Technological advances: The new satellites will use artificial intelligence to improve monitoring ability, providing the possibility of data collection and analysis in real time. This technology will enable the satellites to interact with each other and improve the precision of the Geo-Intelligence collection.
Conclusion
The main focus of these satellites will be to monitor activities along India's borders, especially regarding Pakistan and China. This initiative is seen as a decisive step to dealing with regional security challenges and improving disaster management opportunities.
The SBS-3 program is valued at about 22,500 crore (around $3 billion), reflecting India's obligation to strengthen its defence infrastructure.
It is expected that the involvement of private companies stimulates growth in the domestic space industry and contributes to India's position in global space technology.
While the accelerated timeline presents challenges regarding feasibility and quality, the program is ready to improve India's surveillance ability significantly and its national security position in the coming years.
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