Countdown begins for launch of India's first navigation satellite IRNSS-1A
29 Jun 2013
India will launch its first dedicated navigation satellite, IRNSS-1A, on Monday, 1 July. A 64-and-a-half-hour countdown for the firing of PSLV-C22, which will deliver the satellite into outer space, began at 7:11 hours today at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, some 80 km from Chennai.
IRNSS-1A, which will have navigation and ranging payloads, would provide accurate positional information to users as well as the whole region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary.
IRNSS-1A, the first satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), has already been mounted on an 'XL' version of the launch vehicle.
The 24th PSLV mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) carrying the navigation satellite will blast off at 11.41 pm on Monday. The 'XL' version of PSLV is equipped with six extended solid strap-on motors.
ISRO said it has successfully completed the launch rehearsal.
IRNSS-1A is one of seven satellites constituting the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) space segment.
Doordarshan is telecasting a documentary titled 'IRNSS-1A - The Star of Navigation' today.
