Indian Space Research Organisation on Monday successfully launched IRNSS-1B, the second navigation satellite among the seven satellites that will eventually constitute the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
PSLV-C24 carrying IRNSS-1B blasted off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 5.14 pm. Nineteen minutes after liftoff, PSLV-C24 injected the IRNSS-1B into a preliminary orbit.
While the targeted perigee (satellite's nearest distance to earth) was 284 km, the mission achieved 283 km. In case of apogee (satellite's maximum distance from earth), the target was 20,650km (plus minus 675km), and the mission achieved 20,630km. The mission also achieved the correct inclination of 19.2, differing only in the second decimal place.
Master control facility (MCF) at Hassan took control of the satellite after it was placed in the preliminary orbit. MCF will perform initial orbit raising manoeuvres with two manoeuvers at perigee and three manoeuvers at apogee. The satellite will be placed into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit (sub-GTO).
IRNSS SYSTEM
Once completed, the IRNSS system will offer navigational services, for both civilian and defense purposes, in India and also 1,500 km beyond its borders.
"We will be launching two more satellites - 1C and 1D - this year taking the total to four satellites. So we will finally have a working system in place and we can then measure its accuracy," said Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan after the launch of IRNSS-1B.
"We will launch another three IRNSS satellites at the beginning of 2015. So, by the middle of 2015 all the seven satellites will be in orbit," he said.
PSLV XL VERSION
This was the 26th flight of Isro's primary workhorse, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Isro used an 'XL' configuration of PSLV to launch IRNSS-1B.
'XL' configuration allows higher payload and can inject satellites into higher orbits. The version was earlier used for critical missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission and the first IRNSS satellite IRNSS-1A.
PSLV-C24 carrying IRNSS-1B blasted off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 5.14 pm. Nineteen minutes after liftoff, PSLV-C24 injected the IRNSS-1B into a preliminary orbit.
While the targeted perigee (satellite's nearest distance to earth) was 284 km, the mission achieved 283 km. In case of apogee (satellite's maximum distance from earth), the target was 20,650km (plus minus 675km), and the mission achieved 20,630km. The mission also achieved the correct inclination of 19.2, differing only in the second decimal place.
Master control facility (MCF) at Hassan took control of the satellite after it was placed in the preliminary orbit. MCF will perform initial orbit raising manoeuvres with two manoeuvers at perigee and three manoeuvers at apogee. The satellite will be placed into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit (sub-GTO).
IRNSS SYSTEM
Once completed, the IRNSS system will offer navigational services, for both civilian and defense purposes, in India and also 1,500 km beyond its borders.
"We will be launching two more satellites - 1C and 1D - this year taking the total to four satellites. So we will finally have a working system in place and we can then measure its accuracy," said Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan after the launch of IRNSS-1B.
"We will launch another three IRNSS satellites at the beginning of 2015. So, by the middle of 2015 all the seven satellites will be in orbit," he said.
PSLV XL VERSION
This was the 26th flight of Isro's primary workhorse, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Isro used an 'XL' configuration of PSLV to launch IRNSS-1B.
'XL' configuration allows higher payload and can inject satellites into higher orbits. The version was earlier used for critical missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission and the first IRNSS satellite IRNSS-1A.
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