With IRNSS-1G launch, India completes and renames its navigation constellation

IRNSS G-1 lifts off aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its 35th flight.

India’s network of satellites providing a regional navigation system is now complete with the successful launch of the IRNSS-1G from Sriharikota on April 28. The satellite was then placed into the correct orbit.

The satellite was launched aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation has been renamed NAVIC — Navigation Indian Constellation, by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With seven satellites in orbit, the constellation’s primary focus is to provide information in the Indian region and 1,500 kilometers around the mainland.

PSLV-C33 successfully launches IRNSS-1G pic.twitter.com/3JhIOPsJZs

— ISRO (@isro) April 28, 2016

This is the 34th consecutively successful mission of PSLV and the 13th in its XL configuration.

Aftter the launch, Modi congratulated all the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientists and team for completing the constellation. He also dedicated IRNSS to the nation as NAVIC (Navigation Indian Constellation). He said he appreciated India’s space community for making the country proud through such achievements which have helped in improving the life of common man.

After PSLV-C33 lift-off at 1250 p.m. local time from the First Launch Pad with the ignition of the first stage, the subsequent important flight events — strap-on ignitions and separations, first-stage separation, second-stage ignition, heat-shield separation, second-stage separation, third-stage ignition and separation, fourth-stage ignition and satellite injection — took place as planned.

After a flight of 19 minutes 42 seconds, IRNSS-1G was injected into an elliptical orbit of 283 kilometers x 20,718 kilometers inclined at an angle of 17.867 degree to the equator (very close to the intended orbit), following which the satellite successfully separated from the PSLV fourth stage.

After separation, the solar panels of IRNSS-1G were deployed automatically. ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan, Karnataka took over the control of the satellite. In the coming days, four orbit maneuvers will be conducted from MCF to position the satellite in the Geostationary Orbit at 129.5 deg East longitude.

IRNSS-1G is the seventh of the seven satellites constituting the space segment of the IRNSS. IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID, IE and 1F, the first six satellites of the constellation, were successfully launched by PSLV on July 02, 2013, April 04, 2014, October 16, 2014, March 28, 2015, January 20, 2016 and March 10, 2016 respectively. All the six satellites are functioning satisfactorily from their designated orbital positions.

IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland. IRNSS provides two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Services (SPS) — provided to all users and Restricted Services — (RS), provided to authorized users.

A number of ground facilities responsible for satellite ranging and monitoring, generation and transmission of navigation parameters, etc., have been established in 18 locations across India.