Union Government has launched GPS-Aided Geo Augmented
Navigation (GAGAN) system, intended for aviation navigation. Civil Aviation
Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Monday launched the GAGAN system, which will
offer seamless navigation to the aviation industry.
Facts about GAGAN system Jointly developed by Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI). GAGAN will
provide augmentation service for the GPS over the country, the Bay of Bengal,
South East Asia and Middle East and up to Africa. Some of its benefits are
improved efficiency, direct routes, increased fuel savings, approach with
vertical guidance at runways, significant cost savings because of the
withdrawal of ground aids and reduced workload of flight crew and air traffic
controllers, ISRO officials said.
It is 10 times more precise compared to GPS and radio
navigation aids used for precision landing. Presently, GAGAN Payload is already
operational through GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 satellites. The 3rd payload will be
carried onboard GSAT-15 satellite to be launched October 2015. Benefits: It
will make airline operations more efficient by increasing fuel savings, direct
routes, ease of search and rescue operations, reduced workload of flight crew
and Air Traffic Controllers and cost savings due to withdrawal of ground aids.
With this launch, India became the fourth nation in the world to have
inter-operable Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) after US, Europe and
Japan.
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