Technology

ISRO Successfully Launches IRNSS-1I Navigation Satellite For Benefit of fisher folk, Merchant Navy, Rlys & Road Users

PRESIDENT Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu alongside other dignitaries have complimented the scientists and others for successfully putting into orbit IRNSS-1I. The navigation satellite was launched from its Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh as scheduled. It is a navigation satellite which is a part of Indian satellite navigation system NavIC.  Navigation with Indian Constellation is useful for fishermen to reach potential fishing areas.Fisherfolk will benefit immensely as they will be able to receive  alert messages relating to bad weather, high waves or when they approach the international maritime boundary line.ISRO successfully puts IRNSS-1I in orbit to replace IRNSS-1A after its onboard atomic clocks stopped functioning. Just over 19 minutes into the flight, the rocket slung IRNSS-1I into the orbit from where the satellite will be taken up to its final position at geo synchronous orbit at a height of 36,000 km, said ISRO .  NavIC is useful for merchant ships in their navigation and also during search and rescue operations. In the road transport sector, NavIC helps commuters to traverse distances and also enables transport operators to track their vehicles.The IRNSS-1I   a 1,425 kg satellite was carried into space by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket’s ‘XL’ variant.If we were to understand it simply, then NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation, earlier the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System or IRNSS) is the Indian Global Positioning System (GPS). The navigation system is also helpful for railways in tracking trains and also giving an alert in the case of an unmanned level crossing.It is also used for other applications like location-based services, survey and alignment, and time synchronised services.“I am extremely happy to announce that the PSLV has precisely injected the navigation satellite in the targetted orbit, said  Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Sivan.He said ISRO is moving towards to get the rocket and satellite through industry. Over the next eight months, ISRO has planned 9 launch missions including the moon mission towards the end of 2018.At 4.04 am, the four stage/engine PSLV-XL rocket, standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 321 tonnes, blasted off from the first launch pad, he added.The Rs 1,420 crore Indian satellite navigation system NavIC consists of 9 satellites — seven in orbit and two as substitutes. Starting in July 2013, ISRO has launched eight navigation satellites. Each satellite has a life span of 10 years. The fully operational system is expected to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.One of the substitutes was the IRNSS-1H as the in IRNSS-1A’s rubidium atomic clocks, important for giving accurate positional data, had failed.The 1,425 kg IRNSS-1I was the second satellite sent up as replacement for IRNSS-1A and the ninth of the IRNSS satellite series.Each satellite has three rubidium atomic clocks and a total of 27 clocks for the navigation satellite system were supplied by the same vendor.(with inputs from India Today).

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