ISRO launches IRNSS-1I navigation satellite
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday launched the IRNSS-1I navigation satellite from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh
This the eighth such satellite to be a part of a constellation.
The PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission blasted off at 4.04 am from the first launchpad at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre. It was a normal lift-off, ISRO officials said.
The space agency's workhorse, PSLV, injected the satellite into orbit 19 minutes after lift-off from the space centre here. It was the 41st successful mission of the 43 for PSLV.
The 1,425-kg satellite made by Bengaluru-headquartered Alpha Design Technologies, in collaboration with ISRO, is the second satellite to be actively built by the private industry.
The first, IRNSS-1H, could not be put into space because of its failure in August last year.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan described the mission as a success and congratulated scientists.
IRNSS-1I was successfully placed in the designated orbit, and it was a precision injection, he said.
“I am confident that the NAVIC constellation will serve the underprivileged and unserved for years to come. I am grateful to the entire ISRO family for having worked this hard and making IRNSS-1I a success,” Sivan said.
Serving both military and civilian needs, the regional navigation satellite system, also called NAVIC, will broadcast highlyaccurate timing signals that a receiver can use to triangulate its location.
IRNSS-1I is expected to replace IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven navigation satellites, that was rendered ineffective after its three rubidium atomic clocks failed. The seven satellites are part of the NAVIC navigation satellite constellation.
The launch is ISRO'S second attempt at sending a replacement satellite.
The constellation will also provide signals in a space covering India and its surroundings, which could be utilised by using receivers on the ground to determine position and time accurately.
The IRNSS-1I mission takes place two weeks after the space agency launched GSAT-6A on board GSLV MK-II. Though the rocket placed GSAT-6A in orbit, the ISRO lost communication with the satellite.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan on Thursday said the space agency was bracing up for a busy year during which it has lined up several missions, including its important 'Chandrayaan-2'.
In the next eight months, ISRO has nine missions, Sivan told reporters after the successful launch of the IRNSS-1I navigation satellite at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre here.
Built for a ten-year job in space, IRNSS-1I is expected to be ready for work in about a month after routine orbit manoeuvres and tests.
"We have a lot more missions on the anvil. In the next eight months, we are going to have nine missions. We are going to have GSAT, PSLV missions... Towards the end of the year we have the major mission - Chandryaan-2," he said
There were plans for the 5.7 tonne GSAT-11 mission, a throughput satellite using Arianne rocket, he said, adding that it would be the heaviest satellite the space agency has made so far.
"This apart, there would be GSLK-MK3-D2, which is going to launch GSAT-29. Then we are going to have a host of GSLV missions like Digisat and high resolution remote sensing satellites," Sivan said. "We have another GSLV mission, whioch is going to have GSAT-7A. Then we have Chandrayaan-2 mission in October period. Along with that we have technology demonstration for future missions," he said. The NAVIC constellation is really going to create history and make innovative applications to the entire community in the ocean-based services especially for the underserved and unserved, Sivan said.