Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 28 April 2016 launched India’s seventh navigation satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS 1G) into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO) on-board PSLV-C33.
The satellite was launched from the First Launch Pad (FLP)
of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, which is situated 90 kms from
Chennai.
With this launch, India successfully joined the elite group
of countries that have their own navigation system technology to cater to the
mammoth navigational needs.
As in the previous six launches of IRNSS satellites,
PSLV-C33 used ‘XL’ version of PSLV equipped with six strap-ons, each carrying
12 tons of propellant.
IRNSS-1G
IRNSS-1G is the seventh navigation satellite of the seven
satellites constituting the IRNSS space segment. Its predecessors, IRNSS-1A,
1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F were launched by PSLV-C22, PSLV-C24, PSLV-C26, PSLV-C27,
PSLV-C31 and PSLV-C32 in July 2013, April 2014, October 2014, March 2015,
January 2016 and March 2016 respectively.
Like all other IRNSS satellites, IRNSS-1G also has a
lift-off mass of 1425 kg. The configuration of IRNSS-1G too is the same as
IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F.
Payloads
The satellite with a design life span of 12 years has two
payloads for navigation and ranging.
• Navigation payload – It will transmit navigation service
signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band. A
highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the
satellite.
• Ranging payload – It consists of a C-band transponder
which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.
Features of IRNSS
• It consists of seven satellites to provide real-time data
on the position of objects to aid road, air and maritime traffic apart from
providing mapping and tracking services.
• It is an independent regional navigation satellite system
designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1500 km
around the Indian mainland.
• It would provide two types of services, namely, Standard
Positioning Services (SPS), which will be provided to all users, and Restricted
Services (RS) that will be provided to authorised users only.
• Out of the seven satellites of the system, three are
geostationary and four are non-geostationary.
• By using the IRNSS as a platform, the Government of India
is planning to launch its own Global Navigational Satellite Services, GINS
(Global Indian Navigation Satellite) system. It is similar to the Global
Positioning System (GPS) of the USA.
While many countries in the world have more than 20
satellites in serving the navigational purpose Indian scientists can boast of
by achieving the goal by launching the seventh satellite which in a way
completes the constellation which was earlier planned.
This constellation will help ISRO to take help from the
civilian needs to security or defence needs.
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