Mission Shakti aka Project XSV-1: India’s First Anti-Satellite Test (ASAT)

Santosh Kosambe

doi:10.3844/jastsp.2019.172.182

Abstract

The Mission Shakti, also called as Project XSV-1 was India’s first Anti-Satellite Test (ASAT) conducted successfully on 27 March 2019. The PDV-MK II interceptor missile designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was launched from Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island to intercept the Microsat-R satellite. The Microsat-R satellite, which acts as a prime target for the mission was India’s imaging satellite manufactured by DRDO and launched into the orbit eight weeks before the test by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Project XSV-1 had been under planning since 2016. As India’s space programme is rapidly growing, its nation’s responsibility to safeguard the country’s assets present in outer space. Also, the nation is concerned about the threats it faces in outer space; the ASAT test was conducted to examine the capability of the nation to defend itself in space. The mission was planned at the lowest possible altitude to avoid any risk to the operational space assets. India has demonstrated its capability to legitimate deterrence against increasing threats to nations emerging space assets from various kinds of missiles. With this particular successful test, India becomes the fourth country among an exclusive group of space-faring nations to perform ASAT. The paper provides an overview of the overall Mission Shakti, aka Project XSV-1.

Highlights

According to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Anti-Satellite missiles are space missiles intended to incapacitate, disable or destroy space assets whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive for strategic military purposes
The importance associated with the test is the fact that India has examined and conclusively demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on comprehensive indigenous technology
The radar, data and communication links of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) systems that were deployed across a wide ground span had effectively tracked the entire satellite interception by the Anti-Satellite Test (ASAT) missile

Summary

Introduction

Four nations (United States of America, Russia, China and India) have demonstrated the capabilities of ASAT by focusing on their very own satellites orbiting in space. The target satellite was deliberately launched into an orbit of 284 km to ensure that it remained about 120 km below the International Space Station (ISS). The importance associated with the test is the fact that India has examined and conclusively demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on comprehensive indigenous technology.

Results

Conclusion