Context: A Customized "My Stamp" on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) launch was released by Department of Posts on the occasion of Engineers Day.
Key Facts

• The release of Stamp reminds the nation about technological achievement, which has made the nation proud.
• ‘My Stamp’ was first introduced in India during the World Philatelic Exhibition, ‘INDIPEX-2011’.
• My Stamp is the brand name for personalized sheets of Postage Stamps of India Post.

A-SAT Missile

• It is an interceptor missile that destroys or jams satellites in space.

Two types of A-SATs: Kinetic and Non-Kinetic A-SATs.

• Kinetic A-SATs, like ballistic missiles physically strike an object in order to destroy it.
• Non-Kinetic A-SATs: A variety of nonphysical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks.

Mission Shakti

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test ‘Mission Shakti’ from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on 27th March 2019.
• A DRDO-developed and a modified version of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged a live Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a ‘Hit to Kill’ mode.
• India’s interceptor missile used in the ASAT test has the capability to neutralise satellites up to 1,000 km in space.
• Until now, only the US, Russia, and China could claim to have such capability. India is the fourth country to achieve this feat.
• The US first tested ASAT technology in 1958, the USSR followed in 1964 and China in 2007.
• India’s anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test was done in a low orbit of less than 300 kilometres and at a particular angle to ensure that minimal debris was disbursed above into space to avoid damage to other satellites or the International Space Station (ISS).
• All the debris created by India’s test would take about 45 days to decompose by coming under the influence of earth’s gravity.

Significance of Mission Shakti for India

• India has for the first time tested and successfully demonstrated its capability to intercept a satellite and shoot it down in space based on complete indigenous technology. The test demonstrates India’s capability to safeguard her space assets.
• The test also sends a strong message of deterrence to countries like China, that carried out a similar exercise first time in 2007 and the latest one last year.
• Targeting and destroying satellites of the enemy can completely halt communication systems of a country and during a conflict, this would mean the enemy could fail to use its missiles or drones.
• The technological capability for intercepting such a high velocity moving target at a higher altitude has a direct bearing on Phase-II of the BMD programme which envisages intercepting missiles travelling with a similar or lesser speed at a greater distance.
• Besides, the new missile developed for the ASAT test in record time will boost the confidence of DRDO scientists to undertake the development of more advanced missiles required for Phase-II of the BMD programme.

International Treaties regarding ASAT

• No International treaty has been envisaged yet regarding particularly ASAT testing.
• UN Transparency and Confidence Building Measures (TCBMs): It includes registering space objects with the UN register, pre-launch notifications etc. India is a signatory of this treaty.
• UN Outer Space Treaty 1967: It prohibits weapons of mass destruction in outer space but no restraining on ordinary weapons. India has ratified it in 1982.
• Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) is an international forum for the worldwide coordination of activities concerning with issuance of man-made and natural debris in space. India participates in IADC.
• India has supported UN resolution on No First Placement of Weapons on Outer Space.

About Engineers Day

• Engineers Day is celebrated every year on the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya on September 15.
• He was an Engineers who planned the Indian Economy in 1934, before Independence.
• He designed a flood protection system for the city of Hyderabad by Mussi River and also played a key role in developing a system to protect Vishakapatnam port from sea erosion.
• He also played a key role in the development of the Block System which would prevent the wasteful flow of water in dams.
• He was awarded the nation’s highest honour, Bharat Ratna in 1955 for his outstanding work as a chief engineer in the construction of Krishna Raja Sagara dam.