Bodyguard satellites

Bodyguard Satellites: India’s Strategy for Satellite Protection. It is crucial to secure Space Assets in an Era of Rising Threats. Read here to learn more.

Satellites are no longer just technological marvels; they are the nerve centres of the modern world. They guide aircraft and ships, enable global communications, support stock market transactions, monitor climate change, and provide real-time intelligence for defence forces.

India’s 50+ operational satellites support a wide range of applications, from television broadcasts to disaster management. However, as the number of satellites and the complexity of space missions grow, so do the threats to these critical assets.

The near-miss between an Indian satellite and a foreign spacecraft in 2024 has pushed New Delhi to accelerate its plans to protect its space infrastructure.

Reports suggest India is considering “bodyguard satellites”, small satellites deployed to monitor and safeguard critical assets, as part of a broader strategy that includes surveillance networks, AI-driven collision prediction, and cyber hardening.

Table of Contents

Why Protecting Satellites is a National Priority

Economic & Social Dependence

Economic Backbone: Communication satellites power telecom, banking, e-commerce, and global trade.
Agriculture & Disaster Management: Earth observation satellites are crucial for weather forecasting, crop yield assessment, and monitoring floods and droughts.
Digital India Push: The Digital Public Infrastructure relies on uninterrupted connectivity, which is satellite-enabled in remote regions.

National Security Stakes

Military Communications & Navigation: Indian Armed Forces rely on satellites like GSAT-7A and NavIC for secure communication and precision navigation.
Surveillance & Reconnaissance: RISAT, CARTOSAT series satellites provide strategic intelligence.
Border Security: Satellite imagery is used to track infiltrations, terror camps, and troop movement.

Rising Threats in Space

Space Debris: Over 30,000 tracked pieces of debris and millions of untracked fragments pose collision risks.
Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Capabilities: China’s 2007 ASAT test, Russia’s 2021 test, and US demonstrations have shown that satellites can be shot down.
Cyber & Jamming Threats: Hackers can disable or take control of satellites by targeting ground stations.
Hostile Proximity Operations: “Spy satellites” can approach other satellites to collect data or interfere with their functioning.

Bodyguard Satellites and Multi-Layered Strategy for Satellite Protection

Bodyguard Satellites

Small, agile satellites placed in similar orbits to Indian satellites to act as “escorts.”
Can monitor suspicious activity, warn of collisions, and possibly perform active defensive manoeuvres.
It could be used for proximity inspections or to tow defunct satellites away from collision paths (debris mitigation).

Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Infrastructure

Project NETRA: ISRO’s flagship programme for tracking space debris and predicting conjunctions.
Network of ground-based radars, telescopes, and data centres to provide real-time situational awareness.
Integration with global tracking systems (e.g., USSPACECOM) to improve early warning.

AI-Powered Collision Avoidance

Development of machine learning systems to predict debris trajectory with higher accuracy.
Autonomous decision-making for satellites to execute collision-avoidance manoeuvres without waiting for ground command.

Cybersecurity & Communication Hardening

Encryption of uplink/downlink communications to prevent hijacking.
DRDO and ISRO collaboration for anti-jamming, anti-spoofing, and quantum communication initiatives.

Policy and International Cooperation

Bilateral and multilateral agreements for data-sharing on space debris and conjunctions.
Participation in global initiatives like UN COPUOS (Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) and Artemis Accords.
Diplomacy to establish “rules of the road” for responsible space behaviour.

Global Context: Lessons for India

US: Space Force operates “Space Fence” radar network and has bodyguard satellites under its Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP).
China: Testing co-orbital satellites capable of docking, towing, or disabling others.
Russia: Conducting tests of space-based weapons and electronic warfare systems.

India must prepare for a future where space will be a contested domain, and deterrence will be as crucial as defence.

Challenges Ahead

High Costs: Developing SDA infrastructure, building and launching bodyguard satellites will require significant investment.
Technology Gaps: Need for advanced propulsion systems, on-orbit servicing tech, and AI-driven autonomy.
Legal Uncertainty: Outer Space Treaty (1967) lacks clarity on defensive/offensive measures, risk of escalation.
Risk of Space Weaponisation: Moves to protect satellites may be viewed as militarisation, triggering a regional arms race in space.

Way Forward

Integrated National Space Security Policy: Bringing together ISRO, DRDO, armed forces, and MEA under a single command structure.
Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage startups under IN-SPACe to develop satellite protection tech (small satellites, propulsion, AI).
Debris Mitigation Technologies: Active debris removal and end-of-life deorbiting protocols.
Diplomatic Engagement: Work with QUAD, BRICS, and UN bodies to promote responsible behaviour in outer space.

Conclusion

Space is becoming the next frontier of geopolitical competition. For India, with its rapidly expanding civilian and military space programmes, protecting satellites is as crucial as securing borders and cyberspace.

The planned bodyguard satellites, Project NETRA, AI-based collision avoidance, and cybersecurity measures mark the beginning of India’s transition from a passive spacefaring nation to an active space security player.

Balancing space security with global cooperation will be key to ensuring that outer space remains safe, sustainable, and accessible for future generations.

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