India is adding a new layer to its space-surveillance network in Assam. On September 21, 2026, the foundation stone was laid for ISRO’s ISTRAC Advanced Radar Research Facility at Chandrapur, near Guwahati. The centre will form part of Project NETRA, short for Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis.
The facility is meant to help India watch satellites, spent rocket bodies and other objects moving around Earth. That job is becoming harder as low-Earth orbit gets busier every year. ISRO’s official report said it analysed more than 150,000 close-approach alerts involving Indian Earth-orbiting satellites and carried out 18 collision-avoidance manoeuvres across LEO and GEO spacecraft.
What Is ISRO Building Near Guwahati?
The Chandrapur project will be developed under ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network, or ISTRAC. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma performed the bhumi pujan and laid the foundation stone on September 21.
According to the Akashvani News report, the centre will use advanced radar systems and optical telescopes to monitor satellites and other space objects. Sarma also said a cloud-research radar is expected to be installed by February 2027, giving the site an atmospheric-research role alongside its space-surveillance work.
Key Points:
- Chandrapur will become a new observation node under Project NETRA.
- Tracking data can feed India’s broader space-situational awareness system.
- The facility is expected to support space research, atmospheric studies and scientific work in the Northeast.
- Its location widens the geographic spread of India’s ground-based tracking infrastructure.
Sarma announced the project through his official X account, saying the facility would strengthen India’s ability to track objects in space and protect vital space assets. His September 21 announcement can be viewed in the official X post.
How Project NETRA Can Protect Indian Satellites
A satellite rarely faces danger from a dramatic movie-style collision. The more common problem is a predicted close approach with another satellite, an old rocket stage or a fragment of debris. Operators first need accurate tracking data before deciding whether a spacecraft should move.
That is where NETRA comes in. ISRO NETRA and SSA, the programme is intended to build indigenous radar and optical tracking capability, combine observations and generate orbital information for space objects. The central SSA facility at Peenya, Bengaluru, can then use that information for orbit determination, catalogue generation, close-approach analysis and alerts.
In practice, the chain is simple: detect an object, refine its orbit, calculate whether it may pass too close to an Indian spacecraft, then prepare a collision-avoidance response if required. Better local observations can also give mission teams another source for checking risk instead of depending entirely on external tracking information.
Why India Is Expanding Space Surveillance Now
The timing is not accidental. ISRO’s [ISSAR-2025]( the official 2025 assessment) recorded 328 launch attempts worldwide, with 315 successful launches placing 4,198 known operational satellites. It also said 4,651 objects were added to the space-object population during the year.
For India, the issue is already operational rather than theoretical. ISRO reported 14 collision-avoidance manoeuvres for low-Earth-orbit satellites and four for geosynchronous spacecraft in 2025. It also revised dozens of planned manoeuvres after checking whether a new trajectory itself could create another close approach.
NETRA therefore sits alongside a wider push for safer orbital operations. ISRO’s Debris Free Space Mission aims for Indian space actors to pursue debris-free missions by 2030, including planning for responsible disposal after spacecraft finish their work.
What Comes Next For The Chandrapur NETRA Facility?
Chandrapur will not work alone. ISRO has been developing an optical telescope at Hanle in Ladakh, while the NETRA control centre in Bengaluru serves as the analysis hub. The Multi-Object Tracking Radar at Sriharikota also contributes observations where feasible.
Once the Assam radar systems become operational, the Northeast site should add another viewing point to that network. That is useful because no single ground station can continuously watch every object across different orbital paths.
The larger goal is straightforward: India wants more domestic tracking information, quicker risk checks and stronger protection for satellites supporting communications, navigation, weather, Earth observation and scientific missions.
FAQs About Project NETRA
What does Project NETRA stand for?
NETRA means Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis, ISRO’s space-surveillance programme for India.
Where is the new ISRO radar facility being built?
It is being established at Chandrapur near Guwahati in Assam under ISRO’s ISTRAC tracking network.
How does radar help protect satellites?
Radar tracks orbiting objects, helping teams calculate close approaches and plan spacecraft avoidance manoeuvres early.
Will NETRA track only Indian satellites?
No, it can observe orbiting objects whose paths may threaten or approach Indian spacecraft closely.
When could Chandrapur’s first radar become operational?
Officials said a cloud radar is expected by February 2027, according to the Assam announcement.
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