• India
  • Jan 29

ISRO’s 100th mission GSLV-F15 successfully lifts off from Sriharikota

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked its historic 100th launch from Sriharikota with the successful liftoff of GSLV-F15 on January 29.

• The 50.9 metre tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket with an indigenous cryogenic upper stage lifted off majestically from the second launch pad at a prefixed time of 6.23 am.

• After travelling for about 19 minutes in dark and cloudy skies, the rocket successfully separated its payload into the desired Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

• The NVS-02 satellite is the second in the series of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

• It is designed and developed by Bengaluru-based U.R. Rao Satellite Centre weighs about 2,250 kg. It has navigation payload in L1, L5 and S bands and employs a tri-band antenna.

• The heart of the navigation payload is the Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS), an atomic clock which acts as a stable frequency reference for the navigation payload.

• GSLV-F15 is the 17th flight of India’s GSLV and 11th flight with indigenous cryo stage. It is the eighth operational flight of GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic stage and 100th launch from Sriharikota. GSLV-F15 payload fairing is a metallic version with a diameter of 3.4 meters.

• Its predecessor, NVS-01, the first of the second generation navigation satellites was launched on May 29, 2023.

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)

• The Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) is the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) developed by the ISRO. 

• It is an independent regional navigation system designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary, which is its primary service area. 

• IRNSS is envisaged to provide two types of services —  Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users. 

• NavIC provides a position accuracy of better than 20 m in the primary service area. 

• NavIC can be extensively used for positioning, navigation and timing applications in a variety of civil and commercial activities.

• Five second-generation NavIC satellites — NVS-01/02/03/04/05 — are envisaged to augment the NavIC base layer constellation with enhanced features for ensuring the continuity of services. 

• The NVS series of satellites incorporate L1 band SPS signals to improve adoption of NavIC services. 

• NVS-01 is the first of the second-generation satellites that has already flown with an indigenous atomic clock on May 29, 2023.

• NavIC SPS signals are interoperable with the US global navigation satellite system signals, GPS, GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (European Union) and BeiDou (China).

Some applications of NavIC are:

• Strategic applications

• Terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation

• Precision agriculture

• Geodetic surveying

• Vehicle tracking and fleet management

• Location-based services in mobile devices

• Orbit determination for satellites

• Internet-of-Things (IoT) based applications

• Emergency services

• Timing services.

What is Global Positioning System (GPS)?

• The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a US-owned utility that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. This system consists of three segments: the space segment, the control segment, and the user segment. The US Air Force develops, maintains, and operates the space and control segments.

• The GPS space segment consists of a constellation of satellites transmitting radio signals to users. The US is maintaining the availability of at least 24 operational GPS satellites.

• GPS has its origins in the Sputnik-era when scientists were able to track the satellite with shifts in its radio signal known as the “Doppler Effect”. The US Navy conducted satellite navigation experiments in the mid 1960s to track US submarines carrying nuclear missiles. With six satellites orbiting the poles, submarines were able to observe the satellite changes in Doppler and pinpoint the submarine’s location within a matter of minutes.

• In the early 1970s, the Department of Defence (DoD) wanted to ensure a robust, stable satellite navigation system would be available. Embracing previous ideas from Navy scientists, the DoD decided to use satellites to support their proposed navigation system. DoD then followed through and launched its first Navigation System with Timing and Ranging (NAVSTAR) satellite in 1978. The 24 satellite system became fully operational in 1993.

• Today, GPS is a multi-use, space-based radionavigation system owned by the US government and operated by the US Air Force to meet national defence, homeland security, civil, commercial, and scientific needs. GPS currently provides two levels of service: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Precise Positioning Service (PPS). Access to the PPS is restricted to US Armed Forces, US federal agencies, and selected allied armed forces and governments. The SPS is available to all users on a continuous, worldwide basis, free of any direct user charges.

Additional Read:

Sriharikota to get third launch pad

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved setting up of a third launch pad at Sriharikota to send heavier spacecraft in orbit as it aims to build a space station, carry out human spaceflight Gaganyaan and land an astronaut on the Moon. The third launch pad will be set up at a cost of Rs 3,985 crore in the next four years with maximum participation from the industry.

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