ISRO Gears Up For 100th Launch With NVS-02 Satellite

In a landmark achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to mark its 100th launch by sending off the NVS-02 navigation satellite. The launch will take place on January 29 at 06:23 am aboard the GSLV-F15 rocket from Sriharikota.

ISRO Gears Up For NVS-02 Satellite

The NVS-02 is the second satellite in ISRO’s second-generation series of navigation satellites. This new generation is designed to replace the current satellites in India’s Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also known as NavIC.

With a mass of 2,250 kg, the satellite boasts enhanced capabilities, including a longer lifespan of 12 years, compared to its predecessors.

Equipped with indigenously developed atomic clocks, the NVS-02 promises greater accuracy for positioning and navigation services.

Additionally, the satellite utilizes the L1 frequency, the same frequency used by the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS). This advancement is expected to increase the satellite’s utility, especially for smaller devices like fitness trackers.

The Launch: Milestone For ISRO’s GSLV-F15 Rocket

The launch on January 29 will mark the 17th flight of the GSLV vehicle, and the 11th using ISRO’s indigenously developed cryogenic engine.

The mission will last just over 19 minutes, with the NVS-02 being injected into a 170 x 36,577 km Geostationary Transfer Orbit. This orbit allows satellites to move into higher geostationary orbits, ensuring better coverage and stability.

IRNSS: India’s Navigation Constellation

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also known as NavIC, is a constellation of seven satellites that provides positioning, navigation, and timing services over India and its surrounding regions, extending up to 1,500 km.

The first satellite in the constellation, IRNSS-1A, was launched in 2013, with an expected mission life of 10 years. Additional satellites, IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-1C, followed in the succeeding years.

Despite the ambitious plan, some satellites in the constellation encountered issues. Atomic clocks onboard malfunctioned in several early satellites, prompting the need for replacements even before the end of their mission life.

Additionally, IRNSS-1H, one of the replacement satellites, failed to reach orbit due to a malfunction with the heat shield on ISRO’s PSLV rocket.

Improving Utilization And Expanding Applications

Criticism of the navigation system’s underutilization surfaced in a 2018 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report noted that although the Cabinet had approved funding in 2006 for the development of user receivers, the project did not begin until 2017. As a result, several launches had already taken place, wasting the valuable mission life of the initial satellites.

However, significant progress has been made since then. With the advent of cellphone chipsets capable of receiving IRNSS data, many new smartphones now support signals from the Indian constellation. Additionally, several receivers and applications for the system have been developed, making IRNSS more widely accessible.

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