ISRO To Launch NVS-01 Navigation Satellite On May 29

Taking another significant step towards advancing India's navigation technology and strengthening its NavIC system, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch GSLV-F12 Navigation satellite from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 10.42 am on Monday, May 29.

This mission is designed to deploy the NVS-01 navigation satellite, weighing about 2,232 kg, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers will be used for taking the satellite to the intended orbit. NVS-01 is the first of the second-generation satellites envisaged for Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) services.

Strengthening NavIC System

This is a return to flight mission carrying the next generation NavIC satellite that will replace the IRNSS-1G satellite launched in 2016. NavIC is a constellation of seven satellites offering the standard position service for civilian users and restricted service for strategic users.

Three satellites of the constellation are placed in the geostationary orbit and four satellites in the inclined geosynchronous orbit. The ground network consists of a control centre, range and integrity monitoring stations and two-way ranging stations.

NavIC signals covering 1,500 km around India are designed to provide user position accuracy better than 20 metres and timing accuracy better than 50 nanoseconds. The mission is expected to immensely augment ISRO's navigation capabilities

ISRO's aim is to launch the next series of NavIC satellites, which are new generation navigation satellites with features like the L1 band (the civilian mobile band), this year, ISRO chairman S. Somanath was quoted by The Week as saying. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services. For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock will be flown in NVS-01.

To meet the positioning, navigation and timing requirements of the nation, ISRO has established two services under the NavIC system - Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users.

This mission is ISRO's fourth launch this year after the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) launch in February, LVM3 M3/OneWeb India-2 mission in March and the PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission in April.

Pride Possession

India is the fourth country to have its own navigation systems - the United States, Russia and China being the only other such countries.

The space agency said citizens can register at https://lvg.shar.gov.in to witness the launch from the launch view gallery in Sriharikota.