BENGALURU: Four days after the launch of the third next-generation navigation satellite, NVS-03, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday said the satellite has been placed in its intended orbit.
ISRO Chairman, V Narayanan told The New Indian Express, “The satellite has been placed in the intended orbit. Relaying of information will start in a couple of days.”
ISRO designed the satellite for a 170Km perigee and 37023Km apogee geosynchronous transfer orbit, following the launch at an inclination of 20.75 degrees to the equator. It is designed to provide accurate position, navigation and timing services to India and a region extending up to 1,500 Km beyond India’s geopolitical boundary.
With this, ISRO is said to now be on track for the NavIC constellation with at least four navigation satellites in space – the minimum required to strengthen India’s navigation and communication network. The NVS-02 had not reached the intended orbit and the mission was not considered a success.
NVS-03 was launched from the second launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-F18. The 50-metre-tall three stage GSLV-F18 rocket with a lift off mass of 420 tonnes launched the satellite, and it was the 20th flight of ISRO’s GSLV programme. The mission was launched on October 30 at 11.51pm.
The NVS-03 satellite, weighing 2,250 Kg, carries the indigenously developed Rubidium Atomic Clock along with two other procured automatic clocks to ensure accurate locational capabilities on maps for users, and includes the L1 frequency band in addition to existing L5/S frequency bands.
According to ISRO, the NVS-03 is envisaged to provide continuity of navigation services for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) series. The NVS-03 satellite serves two primary categories of users through the NavIC Navigation System. One category includes civilian users (Standard Positioning Service - SPS), which would include the general public using commercial consumer devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness trackers due to the newly added L1 frequency band support, transportation (railway tracking and road navigation), precision agriculture, maritime operations and inland waterway vessel tracking, aviation, and disaster management preparedness/evacuation warnings, besides devices synchronizing with Indian Standard Time (IST) services.
The second category is a restricted service meant only for the armed forces or other authorized strategic agencies requiring an encrypted, high-security navigation and timing service
