ISRO puts India's first navigation satellite in orbit

Sriharikota: India on Tuesday successfully launched its first dedicated navigation satellite using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle which blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The country’s workhorse PSLV blasted off at 11.41 p.m. on Monday - and then ejected the IRNSS-1A satellite and placed it in orbit a little past midnight.

Developed indigenously, IRNSS-1A, which has a life of ten years, is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate position information service to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km.

An elated ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan said the IRNSS-1A satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit. “This only proves that PSLV is an extremely reliable vehicle and with this flight, we are also entering into a new era of space application in the country that is the beginning of satellite navigation programme.”

The launch was “very precise” he said, adding that when the target of apogee was aimed at 20,650 km plus or minus 750 km, the rocket achieved an apogee of 20,625 km.

With ISRO scientists breaking into celebrations, Radhakrishnan said, “I am extremely happy to announce that we had another excellent flight of our PSLV vehicle. This is the 23rd successive successful flight of PSLV and the fourth successful flight of extended version of PSLV.”

Earlier, a glitch in one of the electro-hydraulic control actuators in the second stage of PSLV-C22 had forced ISRO to postpone the launch of IRNSS-1A on June 12 by a fortnight.

It was rescheduled for July 1 after the anomaly was rectified.

Having a lift-off mass of 1,425 kg, the satellite was launched into a sub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a 284 km perigee (nearest point to Earth) and 20,650 km apogee (farthest point from the Earth) with an inclination of 17.86 degree with respect to the equatorial plane.

“IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven satellites constituting the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) space segment, was launched at a cost of approximately Rs 125 crore,” ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said after the launch.

Consisting of a space segment and a ground segment, IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary orbit and four satellites in inclined geosynchronous orbit and is to be completed before 2015. Over Rs 300 crore has been earmarked for the ground segment and almost all the satellites would cost Rs 125 crore, since all of them would most probably be identical, he said.

IRNSS applications include mapping and geodetic data capture, precise timing, visual and voice navigation for drivers, integration with mobile phones and terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travellers.

ISRO for more private participation

With its workhorse PSLV creating a niche for itself in the global space industry, ISRO is looking for more participation of private players in joint ventures, Radhakrishnan said.

“Over 400 industrial firms are already working with us. PSLV has created a niche for itself in the industry, which can carry over 1.5 tonnes. We have 12 missions in a year. We are looking for partnership from more private players,” he added.

PTI