ISRO-CSIR, agreement on IST time-data sharing for strategic use

In what may improve the accuracy of Indian missiles or navigation of fighter aircraft, Indian Space Research Organisation on Friday inked an agreement with National Physical Laboratory, here to use very precise Indian Standard Time-based signals in the desi GPS that would be used for such missions in the future.
 
The desi or indigenous GPS (global positioning system) refers to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System that seeks to improve the navigational accuracy in the strategically significant Indian Ocean region without the aid of the GPS, which is being controlled by the US government.
 
With the IRNSS being readied for operational use, ISRO would now use IST maintained by the NPL – the national time-keeping laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – to insulate the Indian system from the fear of an indirect US influence on Indian strategic missions.
 
Under the agreement signed in the presence of the Union Science Minister Harsh Vardhan and the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh, ISRO would pay CSIR close to Rs one crore for accessing the Indian time signals in order to ensure accurate and hassle-free strategic missions even in a conflict situation.
 
A home grown GPS system like IRNSS could serve as a strategic asset of tremendous significance, especially during wartime to counter the possibility of international navigation satellite service providers denying access to the Indian armed forces.
 
Dedicated navigation satellites have become an indispensable tool for the aircraft, warships and ground based forces to get a head start in the battlefield and derive tactical advantages to take the adversary by surprise.
 
With its constellation of seven satellites, IRNSS currently has a footprint of 1500 km from Indian boundary. A replacement satellite for the first satellite (1A) would be launched later this month.
 
“IRNSS will have four more satellite within the next two years to further improve its footprint area and navigational accuracy,” an ISRO scientist told DH.
 
Currently, the accuracy of IRNSS system is about 10 mt for 95% of the time and 5 mt for 67% of the time.
 
While such accuracy is not good for civilian applications, sources said Defence Research and Development Organisation in the process of making ground instruments to use IRNSS signals in future missile launches.
 
The GPS data, currently being used by the Indian space and security establishment, is linked to the US Naval Observatory. While the Standard Positioning Service of the GPS system is open to all, India doesn't have access to the restricted GPS service – controlled by the US Department of Defence – required for precise applications like missile launches.