ISRO Successfully Launches NVS-01

New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a successful launch of a navigation satellite, NVS-01, using the GSLV-F12 expendable rocket from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. ISRO announced that approximately 20 minutes after liftoff, the rocket deployed the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) at an altitude of approximately 251 km. The GSLV-F12 is India's larger rocket, which holds significant importance for future space missions, enabling the launch of larger payloads, as stated by ISRO.

The GSLV rocket, which encountered a previous failure, carried the NVS-01 satellite, the first of a new generation of communication satellites. These satellites form part of an upcoming constellation of Indian communication satellites and serve as an indigenous alternative to the Global Positioning Systems (GPS). They offer precise location data, critical for various applications such as map services, regional navigation, and missile positioning.

ISRO has planned several missions for the current year, including tests for the Gaganyaan human space mission and the launch of Chandrayaan 3, aimed at landing a lander on the moon's surface.

This pivotal launch by ISRO, headquartered in Bengaluru, ensures the continuous operation of NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) services. NavIC serves as India's regional satellite navigation system, similar to GPS, delivering accurate and real-time navigation within India and an extended region of up to 1,500 km around the mainland.

NavIC signals are designed to provide user position accuracy better than 20 meters and timing accuracy better than 50 nanoseconds.

ISRO developed the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system to fulfill the positioning, navigation, and timing requirements of the country, specifically in civil aviation and military sectors. Previously known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, NavIC supports terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation, precision agriculture, location-based services in mobile devices, marine fisheries, and various other applications.

NavIC comprises a constellation of seven satellites and a network of 24x7 operational ground stations. It offers two services: Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service for strategic users.

NavIC SPS signals are interoperable with signals from other global navigation satellite systems such as GPS (USA), Glonass (Russia), Galileo (European Union), and BeiDou (China).

Monday's mission marks the sixth operational flight of the GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic stage. ISRO expects the mission life of NVS-01 to exceed 12 years

ISRO Successfully Launches NVS-01