Chennai: In a benchmark for India, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will on Thursday launch a navigation satellite, the eighth such satellite to be a part of a constellation, from Sriharikota.
PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission is scheduled to be launched on Thursday morning at 04:04am. IRNSS-1I is expected to replace IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven navigation satellites, that was rendered ineffective after its three rubidium atomic clocks failed. The seven satellites are part of the NavIC navigation satellite constellation.
Interestingly, the privately built satellite will also be launched in this mission. Reportedly, a consortium of mid- and small-sized firms led by Bengaluru-based aerospace firm Alpha Design Technologies built IRNSS-1L, the backup navigation satellite with a new atomic clock, under the watchful eyes of ISRO. It is also the first satellite to be built at a special Isro facility for private firms.
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The launch will be ISRO’s second attempt at sending a replacement satellite. The previous mission of a PSLV carrying IRNSS-1H in August last year failed after the heat shield covering the satellite failed to separate.
“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,” the ISRO said.
The IRNSS-1I mission will take place two weeks after the space agency launched GSAT-6A on board GSLV Mk-II. Though the rocket placed GSAT-6A in orbit, Isro lost communication with the satellite.