The people have a reason to rejoice. Pretty soon they can have their own satellite-based navigation system for air traffic management. The GPS-aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System will be providing mainly satellite-based navigation for civil aviation over Indian airspace and adjoining countries in South and East Asia.
Gagan, which incidentally means “sky” in Sanskrit, is augmentation systems for GPS and other operational navigation systems, and is expected to give differential corrections and integrity in the same format as the WAAS of the United States and the Japanese MSAS. The technology demonstration phase has been recently completed and it is projected that the whole system will be ready for operational phase in 2012.
To be jointly implemented by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the state-owned-and-controlled Airport Authority of India, GAGAN is deemed interoperable with the European EGNOS as well to provide seamless global navigation. The more advanced mechanisms of the GAGAN will now make it possible to provide coverage for oceanic areas in addition to its current operational terrestrial systems.
Influx of information related to the GAGAN has since leaked to interested industries since ISRO awarded the $82 million (£50 million or €58 million) contract to Raytheon to build the ground stations for the developed systems. Raytheon will build the ground stations while it will be the ISRO who will provide the space segment and augment the needed ground equipment for the GAGAN.
The Indian civil aviation ministry now holds a hopeful clasp of hands regarding the GAGAN to be India’s great pride; but more importantly, it will advance fully the satellite – based navigation systems for air traffic management of the country and nearby areas.
India’s G-Sat-4 technology demonstrator communications satellite has a navigation payload designed to support Gagan’s functions. It is reported to be launched by ISRO’s geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle in 2010, along with two more payloads for the duo of future geostationary satellites also in the works.
More informative details on the GAGAN and other pursuits of India in GPS can be found at Royal Institute of Navigation
and also at flightglobal.com