The The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) first navigation satellite IRNSS 1A, is being prepared for a launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDHC) Sri Harikota on July 1.
According to the ISRO, the mission is prepared for launch and checks are in progress, as the mission prepares to go into a 72 hour countdown.
The IRNSS 1A, which stands for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, will be the country’s first navigation satellite and will be joined by six more in the future to provide navigation services in the country.
Originally scheduled for a launch on June 12, the mission was postponed by a fortnight owing to some last moment technical anomaly. According to the latest ISRO update, the satellite has been mounted onto the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C22, and global checks for the entire mission are in progress. The C22 will be the 24th PSLV mission of the country’s space organisation and will feature six extended solid straps on motors on the PSLV.
The satellite weighing 1425 kg will have a mission life of 10 years and will provide accurate location services for users in the country for up to 1500 km from the border. The accuracy of the services provided will be less than 20m and will be used for public and restricted access as well.
On Tuesday, NASA administrator Charles F Bolden visited the Space
Applications Center in Ahmedabad and met ISRO Chairman Dr K to discuss areas of further cooperation.
Bolden highlighted NASA’s new asteroid initiative which include works to identify and characterise asteroids of all types and a mission to capture and redirect an asteroid to an orbit closer to Earth so that astronauts can visit it.