ISRO’s launch of the much-anticipated IRNSS-1H satellite failed on August 31. The navigation satellite was launched on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-39 (PSLV C-39).
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) has an operational name of NAVIC - NAVigation with Indian Constellation.
NAVIC is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system with constellation of seven satellites. IRNSS-1A , the first satellite of the NAVIC series was launched in 2013. IRNSS-1H is designed to replace IRNSS-1A, whose life time expired recently.
IRNSS satellites at a glance
Satellite |
Launch Date |
Launch Vehicle |
IRNSS-1A |
1 July 2013 |
PSLV-C22 |
IRNSS-1B |
4 April 2014 |
PSLV-C24 |
IRNSS-1C |
15 October 2014 |
PSLV-C26 |
IRNSS-1D |
28 March 2015 |
PSLV-C27 |
IRNSS-1E |
20 January 2016 |
PSLV-C31 |
IRNSS-1F |
10 March 2016 |
PSLV-C32 |
IRNSS-1G |
28 April 2016 |
PSLV-C33 |
IRNSS-1H |
31 August 2017 |
PSLV-C39 |
IRNSS and Surveillance
IRNSS satellites are designed to provide information services within the Indian territory, and upto a distance of 1500 kms around India’s borders. The satellite system will greatly aid disaster management activities. The satellite system is capable of monitoring objects on ground and water.
IRNSS provides accurate information about freight carriers and vehicles on road, ships and submarines. The system can be used for disaster management, coordination of vehicles using voice commands, civilian and security based surveillance.
NavIC will reduce India’s dependency on foreign satellites for GPS data
IRNSS can be used for Disaster Management, Mobile Phones Coordination of v, Monitoring of Geographical Maps, Car, Motor Vehicle (DX) Driving Directly.
This failure is the first for the PSLV since 1994 when the rocket became operational. On 20 September 1993 a PSLV D1, the first developmental flight rocket, failed during the launch of IRS-1E (Indian Remote Sensing Satellite).
The rocket had been successful in 39 consecutive missions, delivering 48 Indian and 209 foreign satellites to space