With the
resounding success of launch of the navigation satellite, IRNSS 1B (Indian
Regional Navigation Satellite System), the second in the series of 7 navigation
satellites by the work- horse PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) C-24 ISRO
has registered another illustrious achievement on April 4th 2014. Incidentally this also marks consecutive 25
successful launches of the PSLV, the most reliable launch vehicle. It was a
text-book perfect precision launch and within 19min of the launch, the
satellite was put in its designated geosynchronous orbit. PSLV vehicle was
flying in XL configuration, a method wherein additional propellant in the PSLV solid
rocket boosters is used. It increases pay load capacity and thus it can put
satellites in higher orbits. XL configuration was flown for 5 times earlier including
the launch of IRNSS 1A (first navigation satellite in this series), GSAT-12 (a communication
satellite), RISAT-1 (a remote sensing satellite), Chandrayaan1 and Mangalyaan. This
satellite was built in a record time of seven months. The first satellite,
IRNSS 1A in this series was launched last year July by PSLV C-22. With this launch India will inch closer
towards developing its own Global Positioning System (GPS). It will enable India to pin point any
location from anything varying from 10 mts to 1500 km. It has been designed for
close geographical monitoring of the borders. The entire constellation of
satellites is going to be launched by 2015 and the Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite System will be completely operational from 2016. But basic navigation
services can start after the launch of four satellites, that is by end of 2014.
India is now
the 6th country after US, Russia, Europe, China and Japan to have
its own GPS (Global Positioning system). Till now India has been largely relying on American GPS
System. IRNSS will be similar to
American GPS, GLONASS of Russia, Galileo of Europe, China’s Beidou or the Japan’s
Quasi Zenith Satellite System. IRNSS 1B, 44 mt tall and 1430 kg satellite carried
a precision clock called the Atomic Clock. It has a mission life of 10 years
from the date of launch. IRNSS, 1420 Crore project will be very useful in active
terrestrial, marine and aerial navigation, disaster management, vehicle
trafficking, fleet management, as a navigation aid for travellers, integration
of mobiles, mapping and geodectic data capture.
IRNSS has
two services-standard positioning service (SPS) provided to all users (civilians)
and Restricted Service (RS) an encrypted service which can be availed by
authorised users (military). The entire system has two segments- the space and
the ground. The space segment consists of seven satellites working in tandem. Three
of which are put in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous
orbit. The ground segment involves 21 ranging stations and a Master Control
Centre (MCC). Some of which are located
in lower latitudes to facilitates coverage to low inclination satellites. The
first one, IRNSS 1A in the series has started functioning and its performance was
evaluated too. The second satellite, IRNSS 1B will start working by the end of
2014. Two more satellites in the series, IRNSS 1C and 1D are slated to be
launched in 2014.
Development
of indigenous GPS system is inevitable for India, as access to foreign global
navigation satellite systems is denied during hostile situations. India whose
geographical borders are severely threatened and intimidated needs a system which
can ensure a complete surveillance. Navigation system is crucial for both
civilian and commercial services as well.
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