<p>The Indian space agency is set to test its sophisticated, indigenously-built, multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) on a rocket flight next month while formal commissioning is expected to take three months time, said a senior official.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The MOTR designed and developed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) will be tested next month during a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," SDSC director M.Y.S. Prasad told reporters here.<br /><br />The space scientists with justifiable pride were showcasing the state-of-the art radar that can track 10 objects simultaneously objects up to 30cm by 30cm at distance of 800 km.<br /><br />In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.<br /><br />"The Rs.245 crore MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.<br /><br />According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs.800 crore in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.<br /><br />"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs.100 crore value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.<br /><br />To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.<br /><br />Prasad said Raythaeon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, of the US, Thales, Canada-Europe, Elta of Israel and NEC of Japan have the capability to make such systems.<br />With this radar, ISRO acquires the capacity to handle its future missions involving atmospheric re-entry of space modules, having a protective eye on its space assets and track space debris.<br /><br />Currently ISRO uses the space debris data provided by US space agency NASA. The commissioning of MOTR would provide real time data for ISRO.<br /><br />"The project got the green signal in 2012 with a target to get the radar ready by February 2015 which was achieved," Prasad said.<br /><br />Excepting the radome that houses the radar, all other systems were domestically sourced.<br /><br />"The radome which is radio frequency transparent was not available in the country," said P. Vijaya Saradhi, group director, management system area.<br /><br />Elaborating on the features of the radar, S.V.Subba Rao said the phased array radar antenna is stationary while its beam generated by 4,608 radiating elements can be steered.<br /><br />He said the radar weighing 35 ton, 12 metre long and 8 metre tall rectangular could be turned in different directions and will be used to meet the range safety purposes during a rocket launch here.<br /><br />According to Subba Rao, it is important to track all the targets of a rocket simultaneously for which MOTR would be used. The radar can also be used for vertical wind profiling and also be used at airports.</p>
<p>The Indian space agency is set to test its sophisticated, indigenously-built, multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) on a rocket flight next month while formal commissioning is expected to take three months time, said a senior official.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The MOTR designed and developed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) will be tested next month during a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," SDSC director M.Y.S. Prasad told reporters here.<br /><br />The space scientists with justifiable pride were showcasing the state-of-the art radar that can track 10 objects simultaneously objects up to 30cm by 30cm at distance of 800 km.<br /><br />In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.<br /><br />"The Rs.245 crore MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.<br /><br />According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs.800 crore in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.<br /><br />"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs.100 crore value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.<br /><br />To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.<br /><br />Prasad said Raythaeon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, of the US, Thales, Canada-Europe, Elta of Israel and NEC of Japan have the capability to make such systems.<br />With this radar, ISRO acquires the capacity to handle its future missions involving atmospheric re-entry of space modules, having a protective eye on its space assets and track space debris.<br /><br />Currently ISRO uses the space debris data provided by US space agency NASA. The commissioning of MOTR would provide real time data for ISRO.<br /><br />"The project got the green signal in 2012 with a target to get the radar ready by February 2015 which was achieved," Prasad said.<br /><br />Excepting the radome that houses the radar, all other systems were domestically sourced.<br /><br />"The radome which is radio frequency transparent was not available in the country," said P. Vijaya Saradhi, group director, management system area.<br /><br />Elaborating on the features of the radar, S.V.Subba Rao said the phased array radar antenna is stationary while its beam generated by 4,608 radiating elements can be steered.<br /><br />He said the radar weighing 35 ton, 12 metre long and 8 metre tall rectangular could be turned in different directions and will be used to meet the range safety purposes during a rocket launch here.<br /><br />According to Subba Rao, it is important to track all the targets of a rocket simultaneously for which MOTR would be used. The radar can also be used for vertical wind profiling and also be used at airports.</p>