PSLV puts navigation satellite in orbit
The Hindu
PSLV-24-IRNSS-1B successfully launched at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikotta on Friday. Photo: M. Karunakaran
India marched towards establishing its own navigation system on Friday
when its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C24) put into precise
orbit the country’s second navigation satellite, Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1B). The 1,432-kg IRNSS-1B will form
part of a constellation of seven navigation satellites.
It was the 25th success in a row for the PSLV, after it majestically
lifted off from the first launch pad at Sriharikota at 5.14 p.m. After
19 minutes of flight, IRNSS-1B was put into a perfect orbit.
K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),
said two more IRNSS satellites would be put into orbit before 2014-end
and three more before mid-2015.
Mission Director P. Kunhikrishnan, said the mission accuracy was such
that the satellite achieved a perigee of 283 km against the target of
284 km and an apogee of 20,630 km against the targeted 20,650 km.
“The satellite is doing extremely well in orbit,” said M. Nageswara Rao,
Project Director, IRNSS. Its solar panels were deployed. Dr. Rao was
confident that the satellite’s life would be longer than the targeted 10
years.
The IRNSS satellites will be useful for land, sea and air navigation. They have civil and defence applications
Courtesy with: THE HINDU
No comments:
Post a Comment