How NavIC[India’s own GPS] is beneficial to India……!!!
First of all, I want to share my deep pride while saying that india has become independent in system of navigation.
Of all modern space-based services, navigation satellites indirectly touch the lives of most of the people on the planet. Financial services, aviation, miltary, transport and many more are dependent on GPS timing signals.
Although it is not a latest news yet I believe that it will be beneficial for my readers to write about few benefits of NavIC(Quite popular as ‘India’s own GPS’).
WHY???
As S.Ramakrishnan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre said,
“Geopolitical needs teach you that some countries can deny you the service in times of conflict. It’s also a way of arm twisting and a country should protect itself against that.”
When Pakistani troops took positions in Kargil in 1999, one of the first things Indian military sought was GPS data for the region. The space-based navigation system maintained by the US government would have provided vital information, but the US denied it to India. From its Kargil experience India understood the inevitable need of navigation systems. Later in May 2006, the NavIC’s R&D programme was approved.
Also, In 2012, US shut off it’s GPS satellites causing the BrahMos Missile tests to fail. The GPS system couldn’t link onboard computers with satellites that crippled missile’s guidance system and keeping it from achieving mission objectives.
BENEFITS……
1. NavIC provides much better and accurate data as compared to GPS on Indian subcontinent because it consists of 7 navigation satllites that hover over India only. GPS on the other hand uses 24 satellites all over the globe to provide location data.
2. GPS guided arms like missiles could now be manufactured by Indian armed forces. Earlier it couldn’t be made as civilian GPS couldn’t be used for such purposes, it makes India to be counted in one of the five countries having indigenous navigation system.
3. NavIC satellites are placed in High Earth Orbit (HEO) at a height of 35,786 kilometres which makes it safe from anti-satellite missiles. NavIC is out of range for solid-fuelled missiles and it is a challenging task for liquid-fuelled launch vehicles to reach this height.
4. Indian subcontinent suffers from severe weather changes and ionospheric variations. Which affects the GPS pseudorange and limits accuracy. With NavIC dedicated for indian landmass employs range correction to counteract the ionospheric delay. GPS in general will provide wrong result over indian subcontinent.
5. A system similar to US’s 911 can be implemented which would result in saving of many lives.
6. Once NavIC is integrated into mass market devices like cellular phones, this capability would enable sending warning in case of a flood, tsunami etc. and other weather forecast to citizens.
7. One of the benefits include supporting the Archaeological Survey of India in protecting India’s heritage sites.
8. It will assist also the fishing industry to locate the best fishing areas, development of transportation networks (especially bridges, flyovers and elevated expressways), help in defining accurate land records. Infact there are many who have already developed the apps like MapMyIndia NavIC.
9. It will supporting the Indian railways to reduce accidents at automated railway crossings in addition to improving real-time railway operations.
10. Hardware companies are producing NavIC receiver modules specifically for the emerging Indian market that are compatible with GPS and GAGAN. This will encourage the MAKE IN INDIA campaign.
Moreover, NavIC can give you the accuracy that GPRS and GPS give combined and that accuracy is not only for cities but for every rural part of the country.
