Maarg Manthan · Topic 12.17

ISRO’s Contribution to National Development

Science & Technology › Space Technology and ISRO · Topic 12.17

Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of the Indian space programme, held that space technology must help the common person, and ISRO's work has followed that idea. Its satellites bring television and telephone links to remote places, give weather and cyclone warnings, estimate crop area and production, guide fishermen to fish-rich waters, map forests, wetlands and groundwater, support disaster management and provide navigation signals. Programmes include tele-education and tele-medicine, the Village Resource Centres and the Space-based Information Support for Decentralised Planning. ISRO also transfers technology to industry, trains students, supports spin-off products, and earns foreign exchange by launching satellites for other countries.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Space Technology and ISRO

At a Glance

Vision Vikram Sarabhai, space for the common person
Weather Cyclone and rain forecasts
Fisheries Potential fishing zone advisories
Agriculture FASAL crop forecasts
Health and education Tele-medicine and tele-education
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Space Technology and ISRO

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of the South Asia Satellite. It gathers the benefits of ISRO’s satellites for citizens at home, which is a common theme in essay and mains questions on science for development. Previous topic: South Asia Satellite. Next topic: Terminologies Related to Space Science and Satellite Launching Systems.

Which Sectors Does ISRO Serve?

Sector	Contribution
Communication and broadcasting	INSAT and GSAT provide telephone, television, radio, VSAT networks and mobile backhaul across the country, including islands and hills
Weather and climate	INSAT-3D series and scatterometer satellites give cyclone tracking, rainfall estimates and ocean winds. Warnings have helped to cut deaths in cyclones such as Phailin in 2013
Agriculture	FASAL gives early crop area and yield forecasts, and satellites map soil, drought and crop health. Crop insurance schemes use satellite data
Fisheries	Potential Fishing Zone advisories from ocean colour and temperature data, delivered by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
Forests and environment	Forest cover maps, fire alerts, wetland inventory and glacier monitoring
Water	Groundwater prospects maps, reservoir storage and flood extent
Navigation	NavIC and GAGAN for transport, fisheries and timing

Which Programmes Reach People Directly?

Telemedicine: satellite links connect remote hospitals with specialists in cities. The first project began in 2001
Tele-education: EDUSAT, launched in 2004, was the first satellite built exclusively for education
Village Resource Centres: centres that give information on farming, health, training and employment through satellite links
Disaster Management Support: satellite based flood maps, landslide and forest fire alerts to the authorities
Bhuvan: a public geoportal with satellite maps and services
Space-based Information Support for Decentralised Planning: uses satellite data for planning at the level of districts and panchayats
Search and rescue: satellite aided distress alerting for ships and aircraft, with the Indian Mission Control Centre in Bengaluru
Gati Shakti: satellite imagery supports PM Gati Shakti planning of roads, rail and ports

What Else Should You Remember?

Foreign exchange: ISRO and its commercial arms have launched several hundred foreign satellites for dozens of countries, with the revenue going to the Government
Technology transfer: ISRO shares technologies with industry, for example batteries, sensors and propulsion parts
Spin-offs: ISRO technology has helped in medicine, such as artificial limbs and software, and in water purification
Cost benefit: studies argue that the benefits of satellite services far exceed the budget of space programme
Space budget: the budget of the Department of Space is a small fraction of total Government spending
Defence use: communication, navigation and imaging satellites support armed forces, as in Space Weaponry: Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Technology
Education and awareness: student satellite programme, Space Technology Incubation Centres and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
Scientific research: Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Astrosat and Aditya-L1 add to knowledge and pride
Employment: the space sector employs tens of thousands in industry and research
Sustainable development goals: satellite data support SDG targets on poverty, health, climate and cities
Criticism: some argue that money is better spent on basic needs, but the services themselves serve those needs
Link: the satellite families are covered in Satellite Systems: INSAT, GSAT, IRS (Remote Sensing)
Cyclone warnings: improved forecasts and evacuation reduced deaths from very severe cyclones such as Phailin in 2013 and Fani in 2019 compared with earlier decades
Land and cadastral mapping: satellite images support land records, urban planning and the SVAMITVA drone and map programme
Climate monitoring: satellites track glaciers, sea ice and the greenhouse gases and help in national reports on climate change
Public-private role: private firms now supply data services built on ISRO imagery, widening the use of satellite data

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Programmes: EDUSAT, telemedicine, FASAL, PFZ
Agencies: INCOIS and NRSC
Vision: Vikram Sarabhai
Current affairs link: Gati Shakti and disaster warning
Common errors: giving wrong year for EDUSAT or mixing up PFZ with FASAL

As an analytical point, space applications offer high returns by improving planning and response in sectors like agriculture, disasters and health. The challenge is to make data easy to use for the last mile.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Vision Sarabhai
Sectors Many fields
Programmes Direct benefit

What Came Next?

The next topic is a list of important terms in space science and satellite launching. Next topic: Terminologies Related to Space Science and Satellite Launching Systems.

Key People and Terms

PFZ Potential fishing zone
FASAL Forecasting agricultural output using space, agro-meteorology and land observations
EDUSAT Education satellite
VRC Village Resource Centre
INCOIS Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
SDG Sustainable Development Goal

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

EDUSAT: 2004.
PFZ advisories by INCOIS.
Phailin: 2013 cyclone warning success.
FASAL forecasts crops.
Sarabhai: space for the common person.

Do Not Confuse With

FASAL and PFZ Crop forecasts versus fish advisories
INCOIS and NRSC Ocean information centre versus remote sensing centre
EDUSAT and INSAT Education satellite versus multipurpose series

Memory Hook

Weather to warn, fish to find, crops to count, health and school by satellite.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for examples of space applications for development. These points help.

Sectors Weather, farm, sea
People Health and education
Value Cost benefit

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“How has ISRO contributed to socio-economic development in India? Suggest ways of expanding the benefits of space technology.”

How to Answer

Vision Sarabhai.
Examples Weather, crops, fish.
Programmes Tele-health.
Way Last mile.

GS Relevance

Prelims: applications, programmes, Sarabhai's vision. GS Paper 3: science and technology, space applications in development.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does ISRO help the common person?

ISRO's satellites provide television, telephone and internet links to remote areas, give weather and cyclone warnings, forecast crops, advise fishermen on where to find fish, map forests and water, support disaster response, provide navigation signals, and connect rural patients and students with city doctors and teachers through tele-medicine and tele-education.

What are potential fishing zone advisories?

Potential fishing zone advisories are information on locations in the sea where fish are likely to be abundant, based on satellite data on sea surface temperature and chlorophyll concentration. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services issues them to fishermen in regional languages, which saves fuel and time and raises catches.

What is EDUSAT?

EDUSAT was an Indian satellite launched in September 2004, and it was the first in the world built exclusively for educational services. It provided broadcasting and interactive classes to schools, colleges and training centres across the country, especially in remote areas, using multiple coverage beams.

What is FASAL?

FASAL stands for Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land based observations. It is a programme of the Ministry of Agriculture with ISRO that uses satellite images, weather data and field checks to give forecasts of the area and production of major crops before harvest, supporting policy and market decisions.

How does satellite data help in disaster management?

Satellite data help in disaster management by giving early warning of cyclones, mapping the extent of floods and landslides, monitoring forest fires and assessing damage. ISRO's Decision Support Centre sends information to the National Disaster Management Authority and states, and accurate cyclone warnings, as for cyclone Phailin in 2013, saved many lives.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 EDUSAT was the first satellite dedicated exclusively to education.

True

Launched in 2004.

2 FASAL is a programme for fisheries advisories.

False

It forecasts crop output.

3 Potential fishing zone advisories use ocean colour and temperature data.