Satellites Guide Jets: India Lands Aircraft via Space

In a significant aviation milestone, an IndiGo Airbus A320 successfully completed India's first satellite-guided landing on June 27, utilizing the indigenous GAGAN navigation system. This demonstration, overseen by the DGCA, employed a Satellite-Based Landing System (SLS) instead of the conventional Instrument Landing System (ILS).

The GAGAN system, jointly developed by ISRO and AAI, augments GPS signals to provide accurate and reliable navigation across Indian airspace. It enhances GPS accuracy, which alone is insufficient for precision landings due to ionospheric distortions. The system uses ground reference stations to correct GPS errors, broadcasting reliable data via geostationary satellites.

This technology enables precision approaches, known as Localiser Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV), offering lateral and vertical guidance similar to ILS but without requiring airport installation. This is particularly beneficial for smaller airports and serves as a backup for ILS.

Airports Authority of India has published 23 LPV approach procedures, with plans to exceed 40 by year-end. This advancement aims to make air travel safer, more efficient, and accessible across India's growing aviation network.