Project NETRA
 | This article may incorporate text from a large language model. (October 2025) |
Project NETRA (Network for space object TRacking and Analysis) is an indigenous space-situational-awareness (SSA) initiative of ISRO. Announced publicly in September 2019,[1] the programme gives India an independent capability to monitor, catalogue and predict orbital debris and near-Earth objects that could endanger Indian satellites.
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Background
[edit]Orbital congestion has intensified with mega-constellations and anti-satellite tests, raising collision risk for India’s fleet of more than 50 operational satellites.[2] Until NETRA, ISRO relied largely on publicly available data from the United States Space Command. A 2021 internal report noted that ISRO carried out 19 collision-avoidance manoeuvres that year, up from three in 2015.[3]
Development timeline
[edit]- 2015 – Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) commissioned at Sriharikota as a precursor SSA asset.[4]
- 2019 – Project NETRA formally sanctioned with an initial outlay of ₹400 crore.[5]
- 2020 – The dedicated SSA Control Centre “NETRA” at ISTRAC, Bengaluru, inaugurated by then ISRO chairman Dr K. Sivan alongside multiple industry dignitaries.[6]
- 2024 – ISRO released its first Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) compiled using NETRA data.
- 2025 – ISRO chairman Dr V. Narayanan inspected the Chandrapur (Assam) radar site; construction of India’s first dedicated debris-tracking phased-array radar began.[7]
Architecture and capabilities
[edit]Project NETRA integrates:[8]
- Phased-array radars – including MOTR and the forthcoming Chandrapur system.
- Optical telescope network – High-altitude observatories at Ponmudi, Mount Abu and Leh reach apparent magnitude 14.
- Data fusion & control centre – Operated by the Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and Management (DSSAM) under Dr A. K. Anilkumar, the Bengaluru hub ingests sensor data, correlates orbits, predicts conjunctions and issues alerts.[9]
Sensors can detect debris as small as 10 cm in low Earth orbit (LEO) and larger objects in geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
Strategic significance
[edit]NETRA strengthens India’s technological self-reliance while enhancing national security. An indigenous catalogue reduces reaction time for collision-avoidance and supports planned debris-removal missions and human-spaceflight programmes.[10]
International context
[edit]India shares SSA data with global partners and participates in the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). Analysts view NETRA as elevating India to peer status with the United States, Europe and Japan in cooperative SSA.[11]
Future plans
[edit]ISRO intends to:
- Deploy additional radars for nationwide all-weather coverage.
- Integrate NETRA with the Debris-Free Space Missions (DFSM) initiative targeting zero-debris launches by 2030.[12]
- Explore active debris-removal technologies with domestic start-ups.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "ISRO launches 'Eye in the Sky' Project NETRA". The Weather Channel. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Space Situational Assessment 2021". ISRO. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Paul, Debdutta (10 May 2024). "India's plan for junk-free space missions by 2030". Nature India. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Space Debris and SSA Research Studies in ISRO" (PDF). ISRO. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Project NETRA & Space Junk". Drishti IAS. 2 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "ISRO SSA Control Centre inaugurated by Dr. K. Sivan". ISRO. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "ISRO chief inspects NETRA project site in Assam". The Sentinel. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "NETRA Project of ISRO". iLearnCANA. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "ISRO SSA Control Centre inaugurated by Dr. K. Sivan". ISRO. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Parliament question on space debris management". Press Information Bureau. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Enabling Responsible Space Behaviours Through SSA (PDF) (Report). International Institute for Strategic Studies. April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Paul, Debdutta (10 May 2024). "India's Debris-Free Space Missions initiative". Nature India. Retrieved 22 May 2025.