The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today launched the IRNSS-1I navigation satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh
This the eighth such satellite to be a part of a constellation.
The PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission blasted off at 4.04 am from the first launchpad at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre. It was a normal lift-off, ISRO officials said.
The space agency's workhorse, PSLV, injected the satellite into orbit 19 minutes after lift-off from the space centre here. It was the 41st successful mission of the 43 for PSLV.
The 1,425-kg satellite made by Bengaluru-headquartered Alpha Design Technologies, in collaboration with ISRO, is the second satellite to be actively built by the private industry. The first, IRNSS-1H, could not be put into space because of its failure in August last year.
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ISRO Chairman K Sivan described the mission as a success and congratulated scientists.
IRNSS-1I was successfully placed in the designated orbit and it was a precision injection, he said.
"I am confident that the NavIC constellation will serve the underprivileged and unserved for years to come. I am really grateful to the entire ISRO family for having worked this hard and making IRNSS-1I a success," Sivan said.
Serving both military and civilian needs, the regional navigation satellite system, also called NavIC, will broadcast highly-accurate timing signals that a receiver can use to triangulate its location.
IRNSS-1I is expected to replace IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven navigation satellites, that was rendered ineffective after its three rubidium atomic clocks failed.
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The seven satellites are part of the NavIC navigation satellite constellation.
The launch is ISRO's second attempt at sending a replacement satellite.
The constellation will also provide signals in a space covering India and its surroundings, which could be utilised by using receivers on ground to determine position and time accurately.
The previous mission of a PSLV carrying IRNSS-1H in August last year failed after the heat shield covering the satellite failed to separate.
The IRNSS-1I mission takes place two weeks after the space agency launched GSAT-6A on board GSLV Mk-II. Though the rocket placed GSAT-6A in orbit, the ISRO lost communication with the satellite.
Like its predecessors, IRNSS-1I carried two types of payloads: Navigation and Ranging.
PTI/AP
