ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network

A view of Mission Operations Complex - 1 (MOX-1) at ISTRAC before commencement of an orbit raising burn for Chandrayaan-2.

The ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) is one of the ground segment arms of Indian Space Research Organisation and was established on September 06, 1976. It comprises of an comprehensive global network of ground stations to provide Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) support to satellite and launch vehicle missions. ^[1]

Facilities

ISTRAC has several facilities as of November 2013:^{[ citation needed ]}

• ISTRAC facilities in Bangalore consist of TTC ground station (BLR) with full redundancy multi-mission Spacecraft Control Center to carry out and control spacecraft operations and co-ordinate with the network stations. Computer facility with distributed architecture providing independent processors for communications handling, dedicated processors to provide real-time displays for individual spacecraft missions and off-line processors for carrying out spacecraft data archival, analysis and orbit determination.
• Communication Control facility to establish links between SCC and ISTRAC network stations as well as control centers of other participating external space agencies and data receptions stations through dedicated voice, data and TTY links.

Mission

The mission of the ISTRAC includes:^{[ citation needed ]}

• Tracking, commanding and housekeeping data acquisition as well as health analysis and control, orbit and attitude determination and network co-ordination support to all low Earth orbit satellite missions of ISRO throughout their mission life.
• Telemetry data acquisition support for ISRO launch vehicle missions from liftoff until satellite acquisition and down range tracking support for monitoring and determining the satellite injection parameters.
• Coordinating between spacecraft and launch vehicle teams, supporting ground stations right from planning till the completion of mission for the national and international satellite missions.
• Telemetry, tracking and command support for the International satellite launch projects.

Ground Stations

ISTRAC has the following TTC ground stations: ^[2]

India

• Hyderabad ^[3]
• Bangalore, also hosts the Indian Spacecraft Control Centre ^[4]
• Lucknow
• Sri Vijayapuram
• Sriharikota
• Thiruvananthapuram
• Bharti research station (AGEOS), Antarctica ^[5]

Global Stations

• Port Louis, Mauritius
• Bear Lakes, Russia (Медвежьи Озера, Medvezhi Ozera), operating the RT-64 antenna
• Biak, Indonesia
• Brunei ^[6]
• Svalbard, Norway
• Troll, Antarctica ^[4]
• Vietnam ^{[7] [8]}
• Gatun Lake, Panama ^{[9] [10]}
• São Tomé and Príncipe, West Africa ^{[11] [12]}

See also

• Indian Deep Space Network
• European Space Tracking
• NASA Deep Space Network
• Near Earth Network
• Space Network

References

1. "ISTRAC inaugurates Golden Jubilee Celebrations: 50 Years of Tracking India's Space Odyssey". www.isro.gov.in. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
2. "Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN)". ISRO. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
3. "Aboutus_Org_DRS | NRSC Web Site". www.nrsc.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
4. 10 eyes in the sky give India space edge
5. "Aboutus_Org_DRS | NRSC Web Site". www.nrsc.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
6. "Brunei, India sign MoU for cooperation in space research field | Borneo Bulletin Online". borneobulletin.com.bn. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
7. "ISRO Developing Station in Vietnam". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
8. Torode, Sanjeev Miglani, Greg (2016-01-25). "India to build satellite tracking station in Vietnam that offers eye on China". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
9. "And another ground station for Isro seems to be in works. This time around probably in Panama. : ISRO".
10. "Expression Of Interest" (PDF). www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-27. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
11. Sheldon, John (2018-09-12). "São Tomé And Príncipe Signs Space Agreement With India". SpaceWatch.Global. Archived from the original on 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
12. Africa, Space in (2018-09-09). "India and Republic of Sao Tome and Principe sign MoU to set up Space centre". Space in Africa. Archived from the original on 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

External links

• ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) - Official Website