SOURCE: AFI
Chandrapur, a town near Guwahati in Assam, is set to become a pivotal hub for India’s space ambitions as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) establishes the country’s first space debris monitoring radar under Project Netra (Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis). This groundbreaking initiative, announced on April 3, 2025, marks a significant step toward enhancing India’s space situational awareness (SSA) and safeguarding its growing fleet of satellites from the increasing threat of space debris.
Project Netra involves the creation of a comprehensive network of observational facilities, including optical telescopes, radars, and a centralized command center. The radar system in Chandrapur, to be set up on a 200-bigha plot of land at the site of a defunct thermal power plant, will be capable of detecting objects as small as 10 cm in radius at distances up to 2,000 km. This capability will allow ISRO to track space debris in low-earth orbits (LEO), where most of India’s remote-sensing satellites operate, as well as monitor potential threats to assets in higher orbits. ISRO aims to make at least one radar operational within this year, with the full Chandrapur system expected to be commissioned within four years, by 2029.
The need for such a system is pressing. Space debris—comprising defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions or anti-satellite tests—poses a growing risk to operational spacecraft. Hurtling at speeds averaging 27,000 kmph in LEO, even a centimeter-sized fragment can cause catastrophic damage, potentially disabling satellites worth hundreds of crores and disrupting critical services like communication, weather forecasting, and navigation. India currently operates over 50 satellites, including 15 communication satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) at 36,000 km and 13 remote-sensing satellites in LEO, making the protection of these assets a national priority.
Until now, India has relied on data from the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), a U.S.-Canada initiative, and other publicly available sources to monitor space debris. However, these sources often provide incomplete or imprecise information, limiting India’s ability to perform timely collision avoidance maneuvers. In 2021 alone, ISRO was forced to conduct 19 such maneuvers to protect its satellites, a sharp rise from just three in 2015. Project Netra aims to change this by giving India an independent SSA capability, aligning it with other spacefaring nations like the U.S., which has long maintained robust debris tracking systems.
The Chandrapur radar is just one part of a broader network under Project Netra. ISRO plans to complement it with additional radars, such as one in the North East, and optical telescopes in locations like Leh, Ponmudi, and Mount Abu. The Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota will also be integrated into the network, providing a comprehensive SSA picture. The eventual goal is to monitor the GEO belt at 36,000 km, where communication satellites are stationed, ensuring the safety of India’s space infrastructure across all orbital regimes.
Beyond protecting satellites, Project Netra carries strategic significance. Space situational awareness is not just about debris—it also enhances national security by providing early warning against ballistic missile threats and potential space-based attacks. As a responsible space power, India’s investment in SSA, estimated at Rs 400 crore for Project Netra, positions it as a key player in global efforts to mitigate space debris, a problem that affects all spacefaring nations. The initiative also reduces India’s dependence on foreign data, fostering self-reliance in a domain critical to both civilian and military interests.
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