A-SAT and ADTCR | 27 Jan 2020

Why in News

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) displayed its Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile and the Air Defence Tactical Control Radar (ADTCR) during the 71^st Republic Day parade.

• Additionally, the Indian Air Force ’s (IAF) latest inductions, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and Apache attack helicopters, took part in the Republic Day flypast.
• Moreover, the Army showcased its recent induction, the 155-mm Dhanush towed howitzer and K9-Vajra self-propelled artillery gun.

A-SAT Missile

• About the Missile
  
  • It is an interceptor missile that destroys or jams satellites in space.
  • There are two types of A-SATs:
    
    • Kinetic A-SATs, like ballistic missiles, physically strike an object in order to destroy it.
    • Non-Kinetic A-SATs are the ones that use non-physical means to disable or destroy space objects, which include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyber-attacks.
  • The theoretical maximum range of A-SATs is limited which means satellites above 20,000 km are out of range.
• India’s Test of A-SAT Missile
  
  • On 27^th March, 2019, India successfully conducted a Kinetic Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island launch complex (Odisha).
  • The A-SAT missile was developed by the DRDO under Mission Shakti.
    
    • Mission Shakti seeks to defend India’s space assets and thus aims at strengthening India’s overall security.
  • India became the fourth country to acquire such technology after USA, Russia, and China.
  • The A-SAT technology has a ‘hit to kill’ feature which is developed for the first time in India. It enables to destroy an enemy satellite by directly colliding with it with pinpoint accuracy.

Air Defence Tactical Control Radar

• Air Defence Tactical Control Radar (ADTCR) is used for volumetric surveillance, detection, tracking and friend/foe identification of aerial targets of different types and transmission of prioritised target data to multiple command posts and weapon systems.
• It is also capable of detecting very small targets and low flying targets.

Source: TH