Sponsord Research

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has evolved a programme through which financial support is provided for conducting research and development activities related to Space Science, Space Technology and Space Application to academia in India.

This programme of Research Sponsored by ISRO is called RESPOND. In special cases research and development projects proposed by non-academic R & D laboratories can also be supported through this programme. The aim of RESPOND is to encourage quality research in areas of relevance to the Indian space programme.

The primary objective of the Indian Space programme is to harness the advanced research areas of space science and technology for national development and to derive the maximum benefit for the people of India.

The Indian Space Programme includes the following major elements:
Demonstration of the feasibility of deriving from space science and technology, applications in space communications, long distance education, earth resources survey, meterology and geodesy.

Development of indigenous capability for design and development of orbiting satellites for scientific research and space applications, sounding rockets and satellite launch vehicles.

Space vision

* Satellite based communication and direction-finding systems for rural connectivity, security needs and mobile services

* Enhanced imaging capability for natural resource management, weather and climate change studies

* Space science missions for better understanding of solar system and universe

* Planetary exploration

* Development of Heavy lift launcher

* Reusable Launch Vehicles - Technology demonstrator missions leading to Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO)

* Human Space Flight

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Space is committed to :

Provide national space infrastructure for the telecommunication needs of the country.

• Provide satellite services required for weather forecasting, monitoring etc.
• Provide satellite imagery required for the developmental and security needs of the country.
• Provide satellite imagery and specific products and services required for application of space science and technology for developmental purposes to the Central Government, State Governments, Quasi Governmental Organizations, NGOs and the private sector.
• Promote Research & Development in space sciences and technology.

While operationalizing the above mentioned objectives, Department of Space will

• Provide required transponders and facilities out of its own capacity as well as by hiring additional capacity, if needed.
• Register Indian Satellite System for public and private sectors.
• Provide its products and services in a prompt, efficient and corruption free manner to all the users/clients.

Antrix Corporation Limited

Antrix Corporation Limited is an entirely owned by Government of India Company under the administrative control of the Department of Space, Government of India. Antrix Corporation Limited was incorporated as a private limited company owned by Government of India, in September 1992 as a Marketing arm of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for promotion and commercial exploitation of space products, technical consultancy services and transfer of technologies developed by ISRO. Another major objective is to facilitate development of space related industrial capabilities in India.

As the commercial & marketing arm of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Antrix is engaged in providing Space products & services to international customers worldwide. Antrix, which is an INR 950 Cr. Company in 2007-08, got the "Miniratna" status by the Government of India in 2008.

With fully equipped state-of-the-art facilities, Antrix is a one-stop-shop for any of the space products, ranging from supply of hardware and software including simple subsystems to a complex spacecraft, for varied applications covering communications, earth observation, scientific missions; space related service including remote sensing data series, Transponders lease service; Launch services through the operational launch vehicles (PSLV and GSLV); Mission support services; and a host of consultancy and training services are also offered by Antrix.

With the versatility of products and services being marketed, Antrix caters to a prestigious clientele including some of the leading space companies across the globe - EADS Astrium, Intelsat, Avanti Group, World space, Inmarsat, World Sat, DLR, KARI, Eutelsat, OHB Systems and several other Space Institutions in Europe, Middle East and South East Asian countries.

Data reception & dissemination

National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is responsible for remote sensing satellite data acquisition and processing, data dissemination, aerial remote sensing and decision support for disaster management.

NRSC has archived a prosperity of satellite images from Indian and foreign satellites since 1983. NRSC has its data reception facility at Shadnagar, 65 km from Hyderabad city. The station has four state of the art antenna systems for data reception and archival.

The Satellite data processing chain has a user friendly web mechanism to enable users to order data of their requirement. It can facilitate to acquire data pertaining to any part of the globe on user request.

The Aerial facility has two Beech craft aircraft to acquire data utilizing various sensors like Aerial cameras, Laser instrument, Synthetic aperture radar and Magnetometer. The aerial facility has carried out number of studies for mapping and infrastructure planning for towns and cities, Cadastral surveys, canal alignment for interlinking of rivers, Digital elevation model (DEM) applications , Mineral targeting etc., It has also carried out international projects in Maldives & Emirates of Dubai.

The Decision Support Centre (DSC) is a single window information provider on major natural disasters like Floods, Agricultural Drought, and Forest fires, Cyclones, Earthquakes and Landslides.

It provides near real time information to State and Central government for relief, rehabilitation and planning. The DSC also supports International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and Sentinel Asia. Under this, critical support was extended to Myanmar during Nargis (2008) Cyclone; Indonesian floods (2008) and China earthquake (2008).

NRSC also has very sophisticated infrastructure for analysis of satellite data: state-of-art Digital image processing and GIS Lab.