Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
India

India Puts Fifth Navigation Satellite In Earth's Orbit

Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Jan, 2016 11:38 AM
    India on Wednesday placed its fifth navigation satellite in the earth's lower orbit after a textbook-launch from the rocket port here.
     
    With this launch, India moves closer to joining a select group of nations having their own satellite-based navigation systems to provide accurate position information services to users across the country and the region, extending approximately 1,500 km around India.
     
    "We have begun the new year with a successful launch and a precise injection of the fifth navigational satellite in the intended orbit," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said from the mission control centre 20 minutes after the PSLV rocket carrying the satellite blasted off at 9:31 a.m. 
     
    The 44-metre-high polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV-C31), weighing 320 tonnes and carrying the 1,425-kg Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1E), soared into a cloudy sky, leaving behind a column of dense orange flame and a huge cloud of fumes at the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan space centre on the sea coast here, about 80 km north-east of Chennai.
     
    "The spacecraft's solar panels were deployed soon after its separation from the rocket and injection in the intended orbit. The satellite's health is normal," the Indian space agency's satellite director M. Annadurai said.
     
    President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the ISRO scientists on the successful launch. 
     
    "Heartiest congratulations to the ISRO team on the successful launch of navigation satellite IRNSS-1E," the president said in his message. 
     
    "Congratulating the dynamism and determination of ISRO and our scientists on the successful launch of PSLV-C31 and putting IRNSS-1E in orbit precisely," Modi tweeted. 
     
    The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) comprises a constellation of seven satellites of which IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D and IRNSS-1E have been put into orbit so far. 
     
    "We are preparing to launch the sixth and seventh navigation satellites in the next two months to complete the constellation of seven satellites and have our own system," a beaming Annadurai told IANS later.
     
    At the mission control centre, space scientists remained glued to their computer screens to watch the rocket escape the earth's gravitational pull.
     
    After 19 minutes and 20 seconds into the flight, the rocket placed the satellite into sub-geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of 503 km above the earth.
     
    The space agency's mission control facility at Hassan in Karnataka, about 180 km from Bengaluru, took control to manage the satellite's orbit and fire onboard motors till it is placed in its slotted orbit.
     
    "We have a long way to go, as we have two more satellites in this constellation, which we intend to launch in the next couple of months," Kiran Kumar said.
     
    The space agency's officials earlier told IANS that IRNSS had been proved a success by the signals received from the four navigation satellites already orbiting the earth.
     
    "The system will provide two types of services -- standard positioning services to all users and restricted services to strategic users," Annadurai added.
     
    The former is provided to all users while the later is an encrypted service for authorised users.
     
    The IRNSS system also includes two satellites that would remain on ground as stand-bys.
     
    Each satellite costs Rs.150 crore while the PSLV-XL rocket costs Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets involve an outlay of Rs.910 crore.
     
    The space officials said the Indian system was unique as it consisted of seven navigation satellites while other similar systems in the world have more than 20 satellites.
     
    Unlike other systems which are global, the Indian system is regional. The ISRO is silent on the system's strategic applications.
     
    The IRNSS is similar to the global positioning system (GPS) of the US (24 satellites), Glonass of Russia, Galileo of Europe and China's Beidou.
     
    While GPS and Glonass are fully functional global systems, the Chinese and the Japanese systems are offering regional coverage. Europe's Galileo is yet to be made operational.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    J&K: Photo of BJP MLA Crossing River On Policeman’s Back Goes Viral

    J&K: Photo of BJP MLA Crossing River On Policeman’s Back Goes Viral
    Justifying his action, the legislator said that the PSO has been employed by the government to help him. 

    J&K: Photo of BJP MLA Crossing River On Policeman’s Back Goes Viral

    Bomb Threat Call At Delhi Metro A Hoax

    Bomb Threat Call At Delhi Metro A Hoax
    Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel carried out a thorough check inside the Patel Nagar metro station and trains but found nothing.

    Bomb Threat Call At Delhi Metro A Hoax

    Madhya Pradesh Twin Blasts: 87 Killed In Jhabua, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Orders Probe

    Madhya Pradesh Twin Blasts: 87 Killed In Jhabua, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Orders Probe
    Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a judicial probe into the explosions after Home Minister Babulal Gaur, who visited the spot, briefed him about the situation.

    Madhya Pradesh Twin Blasts: 87 Killed In Jhabua, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Orders Probe

    ABVP Sweeps Delhi University Students' Union polls

    ABVP Sweeps Delhi University Students' Union polls
    The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Saturday swept the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections winning all the four posts with spectacular margins.

    ABVP Sweeps Delhi University Students' Union polls

    Sonia, Rahul Plough Lonely Furrow In Darkening Political Landscape

    Sonia, Rahul Plough Lonely Furrow In Darkening Political Landscape
    Any political party in a democracy which adopts the norms of authoritarian regimes where leaders generally have life-long tenures merely exposes the pathetic paucity of talent within the outfit.

    Sonia, Rahul Plough Lonely Furrow In Darkening Political Landscape

    Edmonton Man Mohamad Mawed Sees It As His 'Duty' To Bring His Family To Canada From Syria

    Edmonton Man Mohamad Mawed Sees It As His 'Duty' To Bring His Family To Canada From Syria
    The 46-year-old was raised in Syria and came to Canada in 2012, after working for several years in the travel industry in the United Arab Emirates.

    Edmonton Man Mohamad Mawed Sees It As His 'Duty' To Bring His Family To Canada From Syria