Indian MOTR to track multiple space debris at 1,000km

The most advanced Multi Object Tracking Radar (MOTR)
installed at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Shar, Sriharikota.
(Photo: DC)

Nellore: The Indian Space Research Organisation is all set to commence the operations of its most-advanced Multi-Object Tracking Radar installed at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shar, Sriharikota, about 90 km from Nellore. The MOTR was developed with indigenous technology by Isro engineers under the guidance of Shar director Dr M.Y.S. Prasad, associate director V. Seshagiri Rao and MOTR director Dr S.V. Subba Rao in 30 months by spending Rs 245 crore [ = $38.34 Million]. As many as 100 young engineers, drawn from various centres of Isro, had worked day and night to complete the project within 30 months.

Currently, the Shar depends on six radars to track the launch vehicles. However, it can only track one object, within a distance of 300 to 400 km, in the low Earth orbit. However, with the MOTR, it will be able to track multiple objects located even 800 to 1,000 km away.

India to test its home-made multi-object tracking radar next month
"The multi-object tracking radar will be tested next month during a polar satellite launch vehicle rocket flight. The formal commissioning of the system is expected to happen three months down the line," M.Y.S. Prasad of the state-owned Satish Dhawan Space Centre was quoted by the media as saying Saturday.
The state-of-the-art radar, being developed by the Satish Dhawan Space Centre will give the country's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), ability to track 10 objects simultaneously.
The radar can also keep a tab on India's space assets and track space debris, which the space agency currently does by data provided by U.S. space agency NASA.

Isro Set to Test 'Made in India' Multi-Object Tracking Radar Next Month | NDTV Gadgets
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.
In case of objects of 50cm by 50 cm size, the radar can track at a slant range of 1,000 km.
"The Rs. 245 crores MOTR can be termed as the classic example of a 'Make in India' project," Prasad said.
According to him, a similar radar would cost around Rs. 800 crores in the international markets and is mainly used for defence purposes.
"The software for operating the system and analysing the data was developed in-house and around Rs. 100 crores value could be put for that," said V.Seshagiri Rao, the former project director.
To the best of his knowledge only select group of countries have the capacity to build such radars in the world, Prasad said.
Prasad said Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, of the US, Thales, Canada-Europe, Elta of Israel and NEC of Japan have the capability to make such systems.
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.

ISRO develops MOTR with indigenous technology - VIKRAM SARABHAI SPACE CENTRE - thehansindia.com May 15, 2015

IAC Archive — IAC-12/A6/1/9
CONFIGURATION AND DESIGN OPTIONS TO MONITOR GSO SPACE DEBRIS BY MULTI OBJECT TRACKING RADAR OF ISRO IAC Archive — IAC-12/A6/1/9

Paper number IAC-12,A6,1,9,x16139
Author Dr. SV Subbarao, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO),
India Coauthor Mr. BV Subbarao, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO),
India Coauthor Mr. Seshagiri Rao V, ISRO,
India Coauthor Dr. MYS Prasad, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO),
India Year 2012

Abstract Space Debris tracking and prediction of close approach to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites has become an important task today to plan collision avoidance manoeurs for these satellites. ISRO has a number of remote sensing satellites in Low Earth Orbit, which face sometimes the danger of close approach by the Space Debris. Hence, Indian Space Research Organization has planned to establish a Multi Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) to monitor and track the space objects. MOTR is designed with a maximum tracking range of 1000 Km for 0.25 m² targets and a peak power of 820 KW. Further, it can detect and track space debris objects of 30cm x 30cm (0.1 m² RCS) in 600 to 800 kM Low Earth Orbits.

Monitoring of Space debris in GSO is also another important requirement.  It is essential to monitor the objects in the drift orbit because these objects become important for potential accidents with active GSO satellites. The main objective is to enhance the basic capability of MOTR to track moderately sized space objects in GSO.

The efforts are on to theoretically plan and prepare the improvements in MOTR to track GSO space debris. This paper addresses the basic capabilities of MOTR wrt LEO space debris tracking. The theoretical studies being carried to enhance the utilization of MOTR towards space debris tracking in GSO will be detailed. A conceptual augmentation to make it a bistatic Radar with an improved receive capability will also be explained.