Sriharikota, April 12: Nearly two weeks after the launch of India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-6A, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its navigation satellite - IRNSS-1I onboard PSLV-C41 on Thursday morning. ISRO's PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission blasted off at 4.04 am from the first launch pad at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre. ISRO officials said that it was a normal lift-off.

The purpose of these IRNSS satellites is to create India's own navigation system which would be in the lines of US' GPS or Global Positioning System. As per reports, the space agency’s workhorse, PSLV, injected the satellite into orbit 19 minutes after lift-off from the space centre here. It was the 41st successful mission of the 43 for PSLV.

ISRO’s 32-hour countdown activity commenced at 20:04hr IST on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 for the launch of PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission scheduled at 04:04 hr IST on April 12, 2018. “PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission is scheduled to be launched on Thursday morning at 04:04AM”, ISRO said.

The launch of the navigation satellite on Thursday is ISRO's second attempt at sending a replacement satellite. The previous mission of a PSLV carrying IRNSS-1H in August 2017 but it failed after the heat shield covering the satellite failed to separate.

ISRO launches IRNSS-1I navigation satellite from Sriharikota (Photo Credits: PTI)

ISRO in its statement said, “India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its forty-third flight (PSLV-C41) in XL configuration will launch IRNSS-1I Satellite from First Launch Pad (FLP) of SDSC (Satish Dhawan Space Centre), Sriharikota”.

Here’s all you need to know about the navigation satellite:

  1. On Thursday, PSLV in 43rd flight lifted off with the 1.4tonne IRNSS-1I at 04:04 am IST from the first launch pad (FLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at the Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR) in Sriharikota.

  2. The launch on Thursday will be ISRO’s second attempt at sending a replacement satellite to replace faulty IRNSS-1A navigation satellite.

  3. Todaay’s launch was carried on the first launch pad (FLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at the Sriharikota.

  4. The previous mission in August 31, 2017 where a PSLV carried IRNSS-1H failed after the heat shield covering the satellite failed to separate.

  5. Once placed in orbit, it will replace IRNSS-1A and join the constellation of seven satellites.

  6. According to details on ISRO website, the previous IRNSS missions include IRNSS-1A which was launched on July 01, 2013, IRNSS-1B  which was launched on April 4, 2014, IRNSS-1C was launched on October 16, 2014, IRNSS-1D was launched on March 28, 2015, IRNSS-1E was launched on January 20, 2016, IRNSS-1F was launched on March 10, 2016, IRNSS-1G was launched on April 28, 2016, and IRNSS-1H was launched on August 31, 2017. All the the launches except IRNSS-1H have been successful.

  7. The IRNSS-1I launch will have four stages. The first stage is called the 'core' stage (PS1) and will have six strap-on motors (PSOMs) followed by stages two, three and four before the satellite is finally put in orbit.

  8. Stages one and three will comprise of composite solid propellant, whereas stages two and four will comprise of Earth storable liquid propellants.

  9. As per reports, the total time to place the IRNSS-1I satellite in orbit since its lift-off from the launch pad in Sriharikota will be 19 minutes and 19.6 seconds.

  10. Reports inform that targeted orbit of the IRNSS-1I is aimed at a height of 36,000 kilometres above Earth. The mission will have a geo-synchronous orbit at an inclination of 29 degrees once in place over the 55 degree East longitude.

Like its predecessors, IRNSS-1I will carry two types of payloads - Navigation and Ranging. IRNSS stands for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. It must be noted that it is a set of satellites which together can provide India a regional positioning system similar to the GPS.

ISRO launches IRNSS-1I navigation satellite aboard the PSLV-C41 from First Launch Pad (FLP) : Watch Video

On March 31, ISRO launched its 2140-kg communication satellite GSAT-6A which is aimed at helping in mobile communication even from very remote locations through hand-held ground terminals. However, in the last week, ISRO lost contact with the GSAT-6A satellite. The control room at the SHAR space port in Sriharikota is making concerted attempts to re-establish the link with the satellite.

In a communique on its website, the ISRO said after successful long duration firings, when the satellite was on course to normal operating configuration for the third and final firing, scheduled for April 1, communication from the satellite was lost.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2018 09:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).