7/25/2019 ISRO's fifth navigation satellite brings India closer to own GPS

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India on Wednesday successfullylaunched its fifth navigation satelliteIRNSS-1E on-board the workhorse PSLV-C31 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh,taking another step towards joining a

group of nations equipped with their own sat-ellite navigation systems, like the US-basedGlobal Positioning System (GPS).

In a precise textbook launch, the Polar Sat-ellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C31 blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC), about 110 km from Chennai at 9.31AM and released the satellite into the orbit 19

minutes and 20 seconds later.Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the

Indian Space Research Organisation’sachievement.

“Congratulating the dynamism and de-termination of ISRO and our scientists on suc-cessful launch of PSLV C31 and puttingIRNSS-1E in orbit precisely,” he said on twit-ter.

“Spoke to the scientists at ISRO and con-gratulated them on their accomplishment to-day. Our scientists keep making us proud,”Modi said.

IRNSS-1E is the fifth navigation satellite in

the IRNSS space system, comprising sevensatellites, which would be on par with US-based GPS once the full complement of space-craft is launched.

As the rocket soared into the clear blue skyat the end of the 48 hour countdown, all thefour stages of PSLV executed their functionsas programmed, to the joy of ISRO scientistsat the mission control centre.

After the satellite’s injection into geo syn-chronous transfer orbit (GTO), the two solarpanels of IRNSS-1E will be automatically de-ployed in quick succession.

The Master Control Facility in Hassan,Karnataka would then take control of the sat-ellite to perform orbit raising operations.

Though the earlier four satellites would besufficient to start operations of the IRNSS sys-tem, the remaining three would make it moreaccurate and efficient.

SATELLITE LAUNCH EVERY MONTHIndia is preparing to launch one satellite

every month to meet growing needs from itsspace-based assets, including transpondersand scientific instruments, a top space offi-

cial said.“We are lining up a series of satellites for

launch in almost every month to meet the de-mand,” ISRO chairman AS Krishna Kumarsaid following the launch of IRNSS-1E.

The state-run space agency is bracing up tolaunch two more navigation satellites in Feb-ruary and March, followed by earth observa-tional, remote-sensing and communica-tions-based spacecraft from its spaceport inSriharikota, using one to four-tonne rocketswith indigenous cryogenic engines.

“We have a long way to go, as we have tofirst complete the constellation of seven re-

gional navigation satellite system (IRNSS) inthe next two months and embark on othermissions to launch various types of satellitesfor multiple purposes,” Kumar told scientistsat the mission control centre.

“With this launch, we have proved againthat our PSLV (polar satellite launch vehicle)workhorse is a reliable rocket to carry varioustypes of satellites for diverse applications and

needs across the country,” Kumar said.Using strap-on boosters, the PSLV-C31

was the 33rd launch mission and 32nd suc-cessful launch consecutively since its firstversion blasted off over two decades ago inSeptember 1993.

“Speeding up the space programmes, wehad launched five missions in 2015, includ-ing four PSLV and one GSLV (geo-synchro-nous launch vehicle) rockets. Since July, wehad launched four missions with each in Au-gust (GSLV), September and December,” sat-ellite centre director M Annadurai said.

With the successful launch of the GSLV inAugust 2015, GSLV-Mark-III in December2014 and GSLV-Mark II in January 2014, us-ing indigenous cryogenic engines which run

in super-cooled temperatures, the spaceagency plans to launch one more GSLV-MarkIII as its heaviest rocket this year to carry four-tonne satellites in the geo-stationary orbit,about 36,000 km from the earth.

“Demand for various satellites is growingto meet national needs and other users acrossthe country and region. Besides providingcommunications, broadcasting, navigation,earth observation and remote-sensing appli-cations, we have to replace spacecraft whose10-12 years of lifespan are coming to end,”Annadurai said.

According to estimates, the space agency

plans to launch about 80 satellites over thenext five-six years in the polar and geo-syn-chronous orbits, besides about 40 foreign sat-ellites by its commercial arm Antrix in thenext two years.

The space agency has also lined up a sec-ond lunar mission (Chandrayaan-2) and so-lar observatory (Aditya-1) over the next twoyears.

ISRO’s fifth navigation satellite

brings India closer to own GPSThe launch was executed with textbook precision, ISRO said, taking India’s navigational satellite count to five.India is two satellites short of having its own satellite navigation system, which will be launched by March

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Wednesday witnessed the PSLV-C31’s 33rd launch mission and 32nd successful launch consecutively since its first version blasted off in September 1993

Pune Mirror, January 21, 2015 Pp.16