According to an ET report, the facility will produce sub-metre resolution satellites and will include a ground station for satellite control and image processing.The ground station will be capable of directing their movement and processing imagery, necessary for the armed forces to oversee infrastructure or acquire military targets.
This development comes after the defence ministry challenged Indian industry to create satellites with metre and sub-metre resolution for military purposes.
The manufacturing facility, built in partnership with Satellogic, a Latin American company specializing in earth observation satellites, will have the capacity to produce up to 24 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites annually. The first Indian-made satellite, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 metres, is expected to be ready for launch within six months. The images will be delivered with a spatial resolution of 0.5 meters.
Eye in the sky
TASL CEO and MD Sukaran Singh emphasized the need for high-resolution imagery satellites in Indian defence applications. This initiative is a significant step towards building indigenous capabilities in this field, he said. TASL will capitalize on its partnership with Satellogic to leverage their expertise and experience.
Currently, the armed forces rely on satellite imagery from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and obtain commercial images from foreign companies when required. However, the need for increased surveillance of extended border areas has prompted the armed forces to explore additional options. The establishment of a ground station within India will enhance operational security and enable the acquisition of images in areas of interest. The procurement of imagery from foreign entities has gone up particularly following recent events along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
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In these scenarios, the coordinates of the monitored area must be shared with foreign entities to obtain the required images. Establishing a ground station within India would enhance the security of operations, particularly in areas of interest requiring target acquisition.
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TASL plans to utilize its expertise in system integration, electronics, and software to develop satellites with different payloads to meet future defence requirements. The company also aims to localize the production process and develop indigenous payloads.
In addition to satellite manufacturing, TASL already offers a range of products for the armed forces, including loitering munitions, UAV control centres, artillery systems, and aerostructures. The company is also collaborating with Airbus to produce C-295 military transport aircraft.