The successful launch by ISRO of the second of the string of seven satellites that will comprise the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is a major step towards boosting India’s navigation satellite programme. The system will start operating once four satellites are up and it will be fully operational by 2015. ISRO chairman Dr Radhakrishnan announced when the second satellite was launched that two more IRNSS (1C and 1D) would be launched in 2014 to enable accurate measurements on the ground using receivers. Three more satellites will be launched by mid-2015 after which India would have seven constellations of seven satellites carrying out important services. Indeed, the satellite launches would revolutionise the entire navigation business. IRNSS will provide geospatial coverage of India and offer accurate all-weather signals for military use. The system offers a reliable alternative for military applications, which alone makes it worth building. However, about 95 per cent of IRNSS usage is likely to be in the civilian domain and there’s plenty of scope for commercial payoffs there. The system will be used for terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, integration with mobile phones, mapping and geodetic data capture. The navigational system developed by India is designed to offer accurate position information service to users within the nation and up to 1,500km from its boundary line. The system is similar to the global positioning system of the US, Glonass of Russia, Galileo of Europe, China’s Beidou or the Japanese Quasi Zenith Satellite System. In July 2013, PSLV-C22 had launched IRNSS-1A, which is operating satisfactorily from its designated geostationary orbital position. The launch of the second IRNSS that also marked the 25th success in a row for the PSLV had boosted the image of the launching vehicle. “The PSLV is going miles, as evident from the launching orders we are getting from foreign countries, thanks to its quality and dependability,” said Mr John P Zachariah, director, research and development wing, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. That indeed bodes well for India.
Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com
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