All set for sixth IRNSS satellite launch

All set for sixth IRNSS satellite launch

The 54 hour, 30 minute countdown status for the March 10 launch of an Indian rocket with the country’s sixth navigation satellite is proceeding normally, said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

According to ISRO, the progressing status of the countdown for the launch of 44.4 metre, 320 tonne Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carrying Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-IRNSS-1F is expected to blast off around 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Around 20 minutes into the flight, the rocket is expected to put into orbit the 1,425-kg IRNSS-1F satellite at an altitude of 488.9 km.

The satellite with a design life span of 12 years has two payloads for navigation and ranging.

The navigation payload of IRNSS-1F will transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band. A highly accurate rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite.

The ranging payload of IRNSS-1F consists of a C-band transponder (automatic receivers and transmitters of radio signals) which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.

IRNSS-1F also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.

Till date, India has launched five regional navigational satellites (IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID and 1E) as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.

Though the full system comprises nine satellites — seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by, the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said earlier.

Each satellite costs about Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs about Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would entail an outlay of about Rs.910 crore.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed in 2016 itself.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014, the third on October 2014, the fourth in March 2015, and the fifth in January this year.

The seventh satellite-IRNSS-1G- is expected to be launched in the second half of 2016.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.

According to ISRO, with the operationalisation of five IRNSS satellites, the proof of concept of an independent regional navigation satellite system over India has been demonstrated for the targeted position accuracy of better than 20 metres over 24 hours of the day.

The operationalisation of the sixth satellite following its launch on March 10 a better position accuracy will be provided, ISRO said.

- Financial Express

Launch of IRNSS-1E satellite by PSLV-C31

Launch of IRNSS-1E satellite by PSLV-C31

     IRNSS-1E is the fifth navigation satellite of the seven satellites constituting the IRNSS space segment. Its predecessors, IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and 1D were launched by PSLV-C22, PSLV-C24, PSLV-C26 and PSLV-C27 in July 2013, April 2014, October 2014 and March 2015 respectively. IRNSS-1E has a lift-off mass of 1425 kg. The configuration of IRNSS-1E is similar to that of IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.

     IRNSS -1E carries two types of payloads – navigation payload and ranging payload. The navigation payload of IRNSS-1E will transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band. A highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite. The ranging payload of IRNSS-1E consists of a C-band transponder which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite. IRNSS-1E also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.

    Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its 33rd flight (PSLV-C31), will launch IRNSS-1E, the fifth satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). The launch will take place from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. As in the previous four launches of IRNSS satellites, PSLV-C31 will use ‘XL’ version of PSLV. This is the eleventh time ‘XL’ configuration is being flown,

     PSLV-C31/IRNSS-1E launch is scheduled on January 20, 2016 at 09:31 Hrs (IST) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, the spaceport of India.

ISRO Successfully Launches Five Foreign Satellites

ISRO Successfully Launches Five Foreign Satellites 

  Three one-meter resolution optical Earth observation satellites were successfully launched early Saturday, according to operator Twenty First Century Aerospace Technology Company Ltd. (21AT).

    The satellites, which will form the DMC3/TripleSat Constellation, were launched from a site in India and were part of a Sino-UK cooperation project.

    The satellites were developed by UK-headquartered Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL), which is the world's leading small satellite company and part of the Airbus Group.

    21AT, a commercial Earth observation satellite operator based in Beijing, provided the imaging capacity of the three satellites and dubbed the Constellation "Beijing-2."

   The Chinese company will manage the satellites' operation, including observation and control, and data reception and production, as well as related services.

    The cooperative contract for the DMC3/TripleSat Constellation was signed in London in 2011 and witnessed by the UK prime minister and Chinese premier.

    According to SSTL, the satellites provide the best combination of spatial resolution and time resolution -- which stimulates monitoring applications, such as urban planning and intelligent management, at a very high resolution.

    Wang Zhiyong, 21AT deputy general manager, said Beijing-2 was a state-approved program and was part of national civilian-use space infrastructure.

   China has encouraged private investment to support the launch and operation of remote sensing satellites, and ground application systems for satellite navigation.

    Industry observers heralded "Beijing-2" as an important milestone in the involvement of the private sector and the commercialization and international cooperation in the industry.

Article by Hou Qiang and Published in Xinhua

ISRO ready to launch 4th of 7 IRNSS satellite

ISRO ready to launch 4th of the planned 7 IRNSS satellite

The IRNSS 1D Satellite

       Navigation and Guidance is the most important aspects in the modern world which is being used for both civilian and military purpose. American navigations systems are believed to be one of the most advanced navigation systems in use. Navigational systems used by smart phones, GPS devices and various other navigational systems are provided by these navigational satellites. In military field the use of navigational systems is huge, the usage of these navigational systems has been put in to use extensively in the state of the art GPS guided bombs. The current systems used by India are the property of American Space Agencies and is also provided to and controlled by American agencies. The navigational systems can be used for creating an image of the worldwide networks of Sea, Deserts and high mountains. In possible scenario of America turning down the host of services linked to their satellites to India the loss is unimaginable. As a backup plan India had selected the GLONASS system designed and handled by the Russian Space Agencies. The run up costs in procuring a second standby plan and at the same time running a primary system was huge and the need for an indigenously developed system was felt time and again. With the military making repeated requests to develop the system, so that the control of this crucial field would stay with Indian agencies, GoI awarded the project to the prestigious Space agency of India Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). 

Charged with developing this crucial project, ISRO was allotted a monetary support of $250 millions to power up India’s dream project. ISRO termed the project as IRNSS ( Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System).The IRNSS would provide two services, with the Standard Positioning Service open for civilian use and the Restricted Service, an encrypted one, for authorized users and the Military parties. IRNSS would have seven satellites for a dedicated GPS service. To effectively rely with the satellites ISRO opened a dedicated control facility for IRNSS at Bangalore on 1^st May 2103. The station would control and communicate with the satellites in association with 21 other sub stations placed across India.  Of the planned seven satellites ISRO has already launched three satellites and have been placed in well designated orbits. The fourth satellite, INRSS1D is scheduled to be launched from SHAR today. The launch of all the seven satellites under the program is scheduled to be completed by 2016 and the system to be operational by late 2016.

Three of the first satellites launched under the program have been placed in a geostationary orbit and are located at 32.5° east, 83° east, and 131.5° East long latitude. Placed in an orbit the two Geosynchronous orbit will cross the equator at 55° East and two at 111.75° East. This arrangement would guarantee that all satellites will enjoy a radio visibility with the ground stations without any hitch. The navigation signals from the satellites will be generated by using atomic clocks and electronic equipment integrated to satellites. The satellites weigh about 1,330 kg and are powered by solar panels generating an approximate output of about 1400 watts. The accuracy of the system is believed to be around 10 meters across the Indian land mass and around 20 meters across the IOR. The system can be put to use for about 1500 kilometres outside Indian landmass.    

 
IRNSS-1A was the first navigational satellite to be launched under the IRNSS project out of the planned seven satellites. IRNSS-1A was launched on board the PSLV C22 on 1^st July 2013 from India’s spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota. ISRO planned to place the seven satellites with a gap of about six months between each satellite launch. IRNSS-1B was the second satellite to be launched under the program on 4^th April 2014 on board the PSLV C24 mission. The third satellite under the program IRNSS- 1C was launched onboard PSLV C26 on 16^th October 2014. At around 17:00 Hrs today ISRO is all set to launch the IRNSS- 1D the fourth satellite under the program from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Our team wishes ISRO the best for the mission. General public can watch the launch live on DD National and on WebTv service provided by ISRO. Cheers to ISRO and IRNSS teams.  

Editor - Karthik Kakoor

The IRNSS 1D inside the PSLV C 27 Rocket

Final preparation of Launching the PSLV C 27 with 1.5 ton IRNSS 1D Satellite