📘 Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS)
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force.
🚀 What is AS-HAPS?
AS-HAPS are solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles designed to operate in the stratosphere (~18–25 km altitude), nearly double the cruising altitude of commercial aircraft.
These platforms behave like satellites but operate within Earth’s atmosphere —
hence called “Pseudo Satellites”.
🔍 Key Features
- Operates at ~20 km altitude in the stratosphere
- Solar-powered during day; battery-powered at night
- Can remain airborne for months or years
- Provides real-time persistent monitoring
- Cost-effective alternative to traditional satellites
🎯 Operational Capabilities
- Border surveillance
- Maritime monitoring
- Missile detection
- Target tracking
- Navigation & communication support
- Disaster management
🛰 HAPS vs Traditional Satellites
| Feature | HAPS | Satellite |
|---|---|---|
| Altitude | ~20 km | 200+ km |
| Cost | Low | Very High |
| Deployment | Flexible | Fixed Orbit |
| Monitoring | Stationary Hover | Orbiting Pass |
🇮🇳 India & Indigenous Development
India is developing indigenous HAPS capabilities through the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru, supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
📌 Exam-Oriented Quick Points
- Solar-powered stratospheric platform
- Acts like a satellite but cheaper
- Persistent surveillance capability
- Approved by Defence Acquisition Council
- Boosts India’s ISR capabilities
AS-HAPS = Satellite-like capability + Stratospheric operation + Low cost + Persistent monitoring
