What is the full form of ASAT?

The full form of ASAT is Anti-Satellite Weapon, which is a space weapon that is used to kill satellites for tactical military objectives. When other nations pose a growing danger to their political, social, and economic policies, countries respond by developing these. ASAT can be used for snooping, seizing control, and disabling hostile arsenals. Only the United States, Russia, China, and India have successfully proved their ASAT capabilities.

• It can be used to defend against nuclear bombs that are launched into space.

• It can be utilised as an ABM defence strategy ( Anti Ballistic Missiles).

• It can be utilised as a satellite communication interceptor and jammer by other nations.

• It can be employed as an electromagnetic pulse EMP explosive device as well as a laser-based weapon.

The US Airforce launched a number of strategic missile projects in the 1950s. These initiatives were completed as part of the Bold Orion Anti-Launch Ballistic Missiles programme (ALBM).

After conventional systems were successfully completed, the US investigated using high-altitude nuclear explosive systems. Following these testing, systems based on the DOMINIC series and Thor were used.

With both successes and failures, Russia and the USSR were developing Co-orbital ASAT systems that operated differently from US ASAT systems.

India successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon on March 27, 2019, under the operation code Mission Shakti. DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) and ISRO collaborated on the project (Indian Space Research Organisation).

Hit a satellite was part of it using a kinetic death vehicle in low earth orbit to show off India’s ability to destroy an ABM (Anti Ballistic Missiles).

Ballistic Missile defence interceptor Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mark II was the interceptor or ASAT system utilised in the test.

The interceptor rocket used in the test featured a Kinetic vehicle that could be hit to kill. It was 1.4 metres long and 13 metres wide. It had the Kill vehicle and two powerful fuel rocket engine stages because it was a three-phase rocket. The third stage weighs 1.8 tonnes, for a total burden of 17.2 tonnes for the first and later phases. 16.7 enormous amounts of fuel can be carried by the first two steps.

The final stage of the interceptor was the Kill Vehicle. Its guiding system located and followed the Microsat-R satellite in Low Earth Orbit using a non-gimballed image infrared searcher and an inertial route framework using a ring-laser gyroscope.

India has a well-established and expanding space programme. Over the past five years, it has grown quickly. Effectively, the Mangalyaan expedition to Mars has begun. Since then, the Gaganyaan Mission, which will send Indians into space, has received government approval.

Including communication satellites, earth observation satellites, exploratory satellites, navigation satellites, as well as satellites intended for research and investigation. India has tried more than 100 spacecraft missions. The backbone of India’s economic, social, and financial infrastructure is its space programme.

The majority of ASATs potentially destroy satellites in lower earth orbit, but they are limited. Since the majority of spy satellites are 800 kilometres above the surface of the planet, if their orbits are raised, an ASAT won’t be able to reach the target.

It is impossible to hit GPS satellites or other communication satellites because they are 35,000 km and 20,000 km above the planet, respectively.

The US, Russia, and China’s satellites have built-in safety mechanisms that can withstand attacks and guarantee reprisal. ASAT cannot be said to as a game-changer for military defence operations, therefore.

Space debris worries include the risk that other satellites, the space shuttle, and space stations pose from the remnants of wrecked satellites.