India’s own GPS: Isro successfully launches IRNSS-1I navigation satellite

The rocket was launched from First Launch Pad of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Latest News : The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Thursday successfully launched the IRNSS-1I navigation satellite aboard the PSLV-C41.

The rocket was launched from First Launch Pad (FLP) of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Isro Chairman K Sivan said: “I am extremely happy to announce that the PSLV has precisely injected the navigation satellite in the targetted orbit.”

Congratulating Team Isro for the successful launch, Prime minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Congratulations to our scientists on the successful launch of navigation satellite IRNSS-1I by PSLV. This success will bring benefits of our space programme to the common man. Proud of team @isro!”

After a flight lasting about 19 minutes, the vehicle achieved a Sub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee (nearest point to earth) of 281.5 km and an apogee (farthest point to earth) of 20,730 km inclined at an angle of 19.2 degree to the equator following which IRNSS-1I separated from PSLV.

After separation, the solar panels of IRNSS-1I were deployed automatically. Isro’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan, Karnataka, took over the control of the satellite.

The navigation satellite IRNSS-1I is part of Indian satellite navigation system ‘Navigation with Indian Constellation’ (NavIC) in a copy-book style. NavIC, also known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1,500 km around the Indian mainland. Simply put, NavIC (earlier the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System or IRNSS) is the Indian ‘GPS’.

A number of ground facilities responsible for IRNSS satellite ranging and monitoring, generation and transmission of navigation parameters, satellite control, network timing, etc., have been established in many locations across the country as part of NavIC.

Till now, PSLV has successfully launched 52 Indian satellites and 237 customer satellites from abroad. The 1,425 kg satellite was carried into space by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket’s ‘XL’ variant.

Read More on  → Navigation Satellite IRNSS 1I

PSLV-C35 lifts off successfully with eight satellites

Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) satellite launching workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has lifted off successfully with eight satellites.

The vehicle was launched from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The longest satellite launch event stretching over two hours and 15 minutes, started with the lift off of the vehicle PSLV-C35 at 9:12 a.m., with eight satellites, from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

While SCATSAT-1 was launched soon after the launch of the vehicle, the rest of the seven satellites are expected to be launched between 11:25-11:28 a.m.

This is the first mission of PSLV in which it will be launching its payloads into two different orbits.

The PSLV-C35 is carrying SCATSAT-1 for weather related studies, five foreign satellites and two satellites from Indian academic institutes to its orbits.

The launch vehicle carries around 675 kg, including the 371 kg SCATSAT-1, which is to help provide weather forecasting services to the user communities through the generation of wind vector products for weather forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking. It is a continuity mission for the Oceansat-2 satellite, launched in 2009.

SCATSAT-1 will be launched into 730 kilometre polar Sun Synchronous Orbit inclined at an angle of 98.1 degree to the equator whereas the two Indian institutes satellites and five satellites abroad will be placed in a 689 km polar orbit of 98.21 degree inclination later, using the read full story