Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) 2024

IN NEWS – Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) 2024

Released by: Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman ISRO / Secretary DOS, on 22 April 2025

Compiled by: ISRO System for Safe & Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM)

🔹 Context

• ISSAR = annual assessment of global & Indian space environment, debris, launches, and risks.
• Aim: Protect Indian space assets, ensure space sustainability & safety.

🔹 Global Highlights (2024)

• 261 launches attempted, 254 successful → 2578 operational satellites.
• 2963 objects placed in orbit (less than 3135 in 2023).
• 5 lunar missions launched → renewed interest in Moon.
• 3 major on-orbit break-ups (notably Long March CZ-6A stage) → +702 debris objects.
• 2095 re-entries (highest ever), incl. 335 Starlink V1 satellites (deliberate de-orbit).
• Strong solar activity (Solar Cycle 25 peak): 18 strong, 20 severe, 2 extreme geomagnetic storms → accelerated orbital decay.
• Despite fewer launches, space object population kept rising due to fragmentation events.

🔹 Indian Highlights (2024)

• 136 Indian spacecraft launched till Dec 2024.
• Operational satellites: 22 in LEO, 31 in GEO.
• Deep space missions: Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module (high Earth orbit), Aditya-L1.
• 5 successful launches from Sriharikota in 2024 (PSLV-C58, PSLV-C59, PSLV-C60, GSLV-F14, SSLV-D3).
• GSAT-20 & TSAT-1A launched on Falcon-9 (SpaceX).
• Cartosat-2 became ISRO’s first LEO satellite to be deorbited at end-of-life (Feb 2024).

Collision Avoidance:

• 53,000+ alerts analysed for Indian satellites.
• 10 Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAMs): 6 in LEO, 4 in GEO, +1 for Chandrayaan-2.
• Improved analysis helped reduce CAMs vs 2023.

Re-entries & Disposal:

• 5 Indian rocket bodies re-entered in 2024.
• Total 31 Indian satellites re-entered till 2024.
• Scatsat-1 deorbited after 8 years.
• PSLV upper stages of C58 & C60 deorbited to 350 km (shortened orbital life).

PSLV-POEM missions:

• POEM-3 (PSLV-C58) & POEM-4 (PSLV-C60) hosted multiple experimental payloads (9 & 24).

🔹 International Cooperation

• ISRO chairs UN Working Group on Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space.
• Chaired IADC (2023-24); hosted 42nd annual meet in Bengaluru (2024).
• Contributed to IADC space debris mitigation guidelines (2025) & lunar debris mitigation study.
• Participated in re-entry prediction campaigns.

🔹 Key Initiative – Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM)

• Announced in IADC 2024 meet.
• Goal: Debris-free missions by 2030 (Govt. & private).
• Measures:
  • >99% compliance with post-mission disposal (PMD).
  • Limit residual lifetime to ≤5 years in LEO.
  • 400 km ±30 km orbital band reserved for human spaceflight.
    
    Updated - May 29, 2025  ; 12: 30 PM | ISRO