ISRO to launch IRNSS-1H today: Know everything about India's own GPS

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch navigation satellite 'IRNSS-1H' on Thursday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 7 PM. It is said to augment the existing seven satellites of the NavIC constellation.

IRNSS, which stands for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, will be carried by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, XL variant.

To be launched on board PSLV-C39, IRNSS-1H will be a back-up navigation satellite for IRNSS-1A, one of the seven satellites in the constellation, as its three rubidium atomic clocks on board had stopped functioning.

ISRO had to go in for a spare satellite following the failure of atomic clocks in the earlier satellites.

The new satellite boasts much-improved version of atomic clocks which ensure correctness of time and will improve synchronization of equipment on Earth.

Here are the key features

India's first satellite actively built by private firms

On August 31, India will write a new history with the country's first satellite built actively by the private industry all set to enter space.

The IRNSS-1H was built by a consortium led by Bengaluru-based Alpha Design Technologies under the supervision of a team consists of 70 scientists from ISRO.

For the first time, private players have been actively involved in building a full satellite.

Photo credit: ISRO

Named by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

IRNSS named by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will provide basically two types of services namely Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS) Space Segment consists of seven satellites, three satellites in GEO stationary orbit (GEO) and four satellites in Geo Synchronous Orbit (GSO) orbit with inclination of 29 degree to the equatorial plane.

The program gives India a dedicated navigation system, serving military and civilian applications, reducing the country's reliance on systems controlled by foreign governments.

Photo credit: ISRO

Eighth desi navigation satellite

The 1,425-kilogram (3142 lb) satellite is the eight desi satelite expected to provide ten years of service. It will be stationed in an inclined geosynchronous orbit at longitude of 55 degrees East, where it will replace IRNSS-1A.

The satellite is of the same design as its predecessor, based around ISRO's I-1K bus, with the same ten-year design life.

Photo credit: ISRO

Improved version of clocks in IRNSS-1H

In view of the problems that plagued the atomic clocks highly accurate clocks that measure time in terms of vibrations in certain atoms in one of the seven satellites of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The atomic clocks that run on the element rubidium were imported from Europe.

Photo credit: ISRO

Other satellites

ISRO had launched seven satellites - IRNSS-1G on 28 April 2016, IRNSS-1F (10 March 2016), IRNSS-1E (20 January 2016), IRNSS-1D (28 March 2015), IRNSS-1C (16 October 2014), IRNSS-1B (4 April 2014) and IRNSS-1A on 1 July 2013.

Photo credit: ISRO

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