Isro to launch India's 3rd navigation satellite on October 10

IRNSS-1C is one of the seven satellites constituting the IRNSS space segment

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro’s) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is getting ready for its 28th flight, after the successful launch of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM).

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)-1C, the satellite, will be fired from Sriharikota, about 90 km from Chennai, on October 10.

Isro officials said the satellite will be launched from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

According to Isro, IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system, designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary.

The applications of IRNSS include terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, disaster management and vehicle tracking, among others and fleet management, integration with mobile phones, precise timing, mapping and geodetic data capture, terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travellers and visual and voice navigation for drivers.

IRNSS-1C is the third navigation satellite of the seven satellites, constituting the IRNSS space segment. Its predecessors, IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B, were launched by PSLV-C22 and PSLV-C24 in July 2013 and April 2014, respectively. IRNSS-1C has a lift-off mass of 1,425 kg. The configuration of IRNSS-1C is similar to that of IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B.

The satellite has been realised in less than six months after the launch of its predecessor. IRNSS-1C will carry two types of payloads — navigation payload and ranging payload. The navigation payload of IRNSS-1C will transmit navigation service signals to the users.

This payload will be operating in L5 band (1176.45 MHz) and S band (2492.028 MHz). A highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite.

The ranging payload of IRNSS-1C consists of a C-band transponder with facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite. IRNSS-1C also carries corner cube retro reflectors for laser ranging, said Isro.

IRNSS will provide two types of services, including standard positioning service and comprises space and ground segments.

IRNSS segment consists of seven satellites, including three satellites in geostationary orbit and four satellites in inclined geosynchronous orbit. IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B, the first two satellites of the IRNSS constellation, have already started functioning from their designated orbital slot after extensive on orbit test and evaluation to confirm their satisfactory performance. IRNSS ground segment is responsible for navigation parameter generation and transmission, satellite control, ranging and integrity monitoring as well as time keeping.