India’s Gagan satellite augmented navigation system, meant to support and smoothen the civilian air traffic over the Indian skies and adjoining region, is ready for routine operational use.

   The implementation of Gagan, a joint project of the state owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is indeed a challenging proposition in the context of the severe ionospheric variations in the region of its coverage.

   The entire ground support infrastructure of Gagan is also ready for use. To begin with, the efficacy of the Gagan will be tried on smaller, general aviation aircraft. Not unexpectedly, it would take time before bigger Boeing and Airbus aircraft get equipped with Gagan receivers.

   According to sources in ISRO, with Gagan receivers in place, the pilots of the aircraft will have on their fingertips reliable and continuous data on position, height from....