ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C22, successfully launched
IRNSS-1A, the first satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite
System (IRNSS), in the early morning hours of today (July 2, 2013) from Satish
Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This is the twenty third
consecutively
successful mission of PSLV. The 'XL' configuration of PSLV was used for the
mission. Previously, the same configuration of the vehicle was used thrice to
launch Chandrayaan-1, GSAT-12 and RISAT-1 satellites.
At the completion of the countdown, PSLV-C22 lifted off from the First Launch
Pad at 23:41 hrs IST yesterday (July 1, 2013) with the ignition of the first
stage and four strap-on motors of the launch vehicle. The important flight
events, namely, stage and strap-on ignitions, heat-shield separation, stage and
strap-on separations and satellite injection took place exactly as planned.
After a flight of 20 minutes 17 seconds, the IRNSS-1A Satellite, weighing 1425
kg, was injected to the intended elliptical orbit of 282.46 km X 20,625.37 km.
After injection, the solar panels of IRNSS-1A were deployed automatically.
ISRO's Master Control Facility (at Hassan, Karnataka) assumed the control of
the satellite. In the coming days, five orbit maneuvers will be conducted from
Master Control Facility to position the satellite in its Geosynchronous
Circular Orbit at 55 deg East longitude.
IRNSS-1A is the first of the seven satellites constituting the space segment of
the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. IRNSS is an independent
regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information
in the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland. IRNSS would
provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Services (SPS) -
provided to all users - and Restricted Services (RS) provided only to
authorised users.
A number of ground stations responsible for the generation and transmission of
navigation parameters, satellite control, satellite ranging and monitoring,
etc., have been established in as many as 15 locations across the country.
The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed
by 2015-16..
Courtesy (pib.nic.in) Press Information Bureau
Courtesy (pib.nic.in) Press Information Bureau
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