The GSAT-14 satellite undergoing testing at the Comprehensive Antenna Test Facility.
Photo courtesy of ISRO.

[SatNews] The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India, has provisionally certified the ambitious Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) program of India GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system to RNP0.1 (Required Navigation Performance, 0.1 Nautical Mile) service level on December 30, 2013.

The certification will enable the aircraft fitted with SBAS equipment to use GAGAN signal in space for En-Route Navigation and Non-Precision Approaches without vertical guidance over Indian air space. India is the fourth country to offer safety of life, space based satellite navigation services to aviation sector in the world. The availability of GAGAN Signal in space will bridge the gap between European Unions EGNOS and Japans MSAS coverage areas, thereby offering seamless navigation to the aviation industry.

The GAGAN System, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI), is a giant leap forward in the development of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) services in India and will pave the way for more growth and enhancement in the days to come. The GAGAN System is poised to APV1/1.5 level of certification in the near future to offer precision approach services over the Indian land mass. The GAGAN signal is being broadcast through two Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, GSAT8 and GSAT10, covering the entire Indian Flight Information Region (FIR) and beyond. An on-orbit spare GAGAN transponder will be flown on GSAT-15.

The ISRO website may be accessed at: http://www.isro.org/