The Navigation with Indian Constellation or (NavIC), which consists of seven satellites and India’s version of the American GPS (global positioning system), will soon be integrated into Aadhaar enrolment devices, the Department of Space (DoS) told the Parliamentary Committee of Science and Technology.
Key points
- The Department of Space (DoS) told the Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology that Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) would soon be integrated with Aadhaar enrollment devices.
- Indigenous chip for NavIC-based satellite navigation has been launched.
- Currently Aadhaar Enrollment Kits are used to collect and verify personal details. These devices are linked to GPS.
- NavIC provides two services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users.
- Both these services are provided in both L5 (1176.45 MHz) and S band (2498.028 MHz).
- The coverage area of NavIC covers India and an area up to 1,500 km beyond the Indian border.
- The new satellites will have an additional band called L1 which will be suited for civilian use.
- The central government has directed cell phone manufacturers in India to make their devices NavIC compatible.
- The DoS told the committee that the mobile phone industry has already shown willingness and readiness to incorporate NavIC in 5G handsets.
Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)
- It has been made jointly by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi named it Navik, dedicating it to Indian fishermen.
- NavIC is designed with 7 satellites.
- Three satellites have been placed in geo-terrestrial orbit and four satellites in geo-synchronous orbit.
- NavIC provides two services: Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users.
- These two services are provided in both L5 (1176.45 MHz) and S band (2498.028 MHz).
- The coverage area includes India and the area beyond the Indian border up to 1500 km.
- NAVIC signals are designed to provide an accuracy of 20 meters.
Navigator’s Applications
- Transportation (terrestrial, aerial and marine)
- Location based services
- Personal mobility
- Resource monitoring
- Surveying and geodesy
- Scientific research
- Time dissemination and synchronization
- Safety-of-life alert dissemination
Navigator user
- The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) is already using NavIC as a warning dissemination system for major natural disasters such as landslides, earthquakes, floods and avalanches.
- The Indian National Center for Ocean Information Systems (INCOIS) relies on NAVIC to disseminate cyclone, high wave and tsunami warning messages to deep-sea fishermen.
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Telecom Standards Development Society, Telecom Engineering Center (TEC), Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) etc. are using NAVIC.
Aadhaar
- Aadhaar is sometimes informally referred to as UIDAI ID or UIDAI number.
- Aadhaar is a 12 digit unique identification number.
- It is a statutory authority established in January 2009.
- It functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric ID system.
- Aadhaar is not considered a proof of citizenship, but a proof of residence.