INDIA’S OWN GPS

INDIA IS SET TO OPERATIONALISE ITS OWN GPS WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE FOURTH NAVIGATION SATELLITE FROM THE SHAR SPACEPORT ON SATURDAY

3 more satellites will be launched by June next to complete a constellation to have a complete GPS

4 satellites are deemed sufficient for the Indian

Regional Navigation Satellite System The smoke trail makes a design as the PSLV-C27 heads for space

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The Indian GPS provides navigation support on air, land and in water and vehicle tracking. It provides visual and voice navigation support for drivers and hikers.

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The workhorse PSLV rocket hoisted the satellite to orbit at 5.19 pm, after a 59.5 hour countdown.

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The IRNSS-1D will provide navigation, tracking and mapping service and has a mission life of 10 years.

India’s workhorse rocket on Saturday placed the fourth Indian navigation satellite in orbit and brought the national global positioning system closer to reality.

The Indian GPS system envisages a network of seven satellites in space.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle took off flawlessly from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shar, on its 28th successful mission and placed the satellite in orbit at 5.19 pm. The clear skies afforded a spectacular view of the launch.

This is the first launch after Dr A.S. Kiran Kumar took over as chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation.

Dr Kirankumar was seen congratulating senior scientists at mission control room after the satellite reached orbit despite a minor glitch because of which the launch was put off by about 20 days..

He said the PSLV had yet again demonstrated that ISRO had come of age.

Project director P. Kunhikrishnan said that the next PSLV mission in June would carry a UK commercial satellite followed by three more navigation satellites.