GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system
Satellite-based navigation system
In News: The GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system, which will offer seamless navigation to the aviation industry, was recently launched by the Civil Aviation Minister.
- GAGAN was develped by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a cost of Rs. 774 crore, over 15 years.
- GAGAN will provide augmentation service for the GPS over the country, the Bay of Bengal, South East Asia and Middle East and up to Africa.
- Some of its benefits are improved efficiency, direct routes, increased fuel savings, approach with vertical guidance at runways, significant cost savings because of the withdrawal of ground aids and reduced workload of flight crew and air traffic controllers.
- Gagan works by augmenting and relaying data from GPS satellites with the help of two augmentation satellites and 15 earth-based reference stations.
- The system utilises the satellite-based wide area augmentation system (SBAS) technology which has been developed by Raytheon.
Significance:
- India is the fourth country to offer space-based satellite navigation services to the aviation sector.
- The system bridges the gap in the coverage areas of the European Union’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Japan’s Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS).
- The system would be available for the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
- It is intended to serve as a low-cost substitute for instrument landing system (ILS) and provide very accurate route guidance for the aircraft to save time and fuel.
- The guided approach landing with the help of GAGAN would immediately benefit nearly 50 airports in India.
- The system with the help of reference and uplink station will provide corrections to the GPS signal in order to improve air traffic management.
- It is 10 times more precise compared to GPS and radio navigation aids used for precision landing.
- Presently, GAGAN Payload is already operational through GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 satellites. The 3rd payload will be carried onboard GSAT-15 satellite to be launched October 2015.
- It should be noted that GAGAN is the first SBAS system in the world to serve the equatorial region
Benefit:
- Improved efficiency
- Direct routes
- Ease of search and rescue operations
- Increased fuel savings
- Approach with vertical guidance at runways
- Significant cost savings because of the withdrawal of ground aids
- Reduced workload of flight crew and air traffic controllers
Drawback:
The aircraft now being used by Indian operators are not compatible with GAGAN. Only those aircraft that are fitted with SBAS will be able to use the new technology. Cost of refurbishing aircraft with new equipment and downtime for electronic restructuring are expenses that the financially-stressed Indian airline industry does not seem comfortable having to bear.
