Image processing techniques, software for data analytics solutions as well as instruments and laboratories will soon be developed for tracking space objects, especially near-Earth objects and artificial satellites, to ensure the safety of satellites and their users. Such a practice of tracking is called Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, an autonomous Institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) Government of India, has signed a MoU with the Navaratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) on 20 September, 2024 to collaborate on space technologies, particularly focusing on SSA.  

This is a significant step in advancing India’s space situational awareness and technological capabilities, in line with the Government of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make-in-India’ initiatives.  

SSA is required for predicting, warning and avoiding any potential collisions between objects in space.

As part of the MoU, ARIES and BEL will utilize observations from ARIES’s state-of-the-art telescopes such as the 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) for this purpose. The two organizations will jointly develop image processing techniques and software for data analytics solutions. They will also collaborate on development of instruments and laboratories. Various training workshops will be conducted for capacity building in SSA. ARIES will also share its expertise in space weather.

The MoU was signed at BEL’s Ghaziabad Unit by Prof. Dipankar Banerjee, Director, ARIES and Ms. Rashmi Kathuria, GM (SCCS) & Unit Head in the presence of Dr. Brijesh Kumar, Dr. T. S. Kumar and Dr. S. Krishna Prasad from ARIES and senior officers Shri Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, Director (OU), Mr. Anoop Kumar Rai, CS (CRL-GAD) and Mr. Puneet Jain, AGM (Marketing) from BEL.