Csir, isro join hands for accurate satellite naviGation

NEW DELHI: The Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday signed an MoU for exchanging time and frequency traceability to bring accuracy in satellite navigation and other ventures. The CSIR is the custodian and mandated to maintain the Indian Standard Time (IST), and as per the memorandum of understanding (MoU), it will provide time and frequency traceability to the ISRO. At national level, time synchronisation is essential for all kinds of financial transactions, stock handling, digital archiving, time stamping, international trade, national security and to prevent cyber crimes. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for Department of Space Jitendra Singh at CSIR Science Centre here. “ISRO needs accuracy up to nanoseconds level for navigation, surveillance and other national missions, whereas millisecond or micro-second accuracy is sufficient for day-to-day activities,” said Jitendra Singh. Speaking at the event, Harsh Vardhan said the development dynamics of a country was highly dependent on the preciseness of time keeping. “Smart grids for electricity distribution networks have made it essential to use precise time synchronisation... Weather forecast depends on accurate time information and its synchronisation,” he said. Under the MoU, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) of the CSIR will provide the Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) traceability to the Time Scale of Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS). According to the CSIR, the accuracy of satellite navigation systems depends on the proper sync of on-board clocks.