Chennai, March 2 (IANS) India will move closer to its own satellite navigation system with the launch of its fourth satellite tentatively slated for March 9, a senior official of the Indian space agency said on Monday.
"The launch is tentatively planned for March 9 evening around 6.35 p.m. However final green signal for the launch will be given days ahead of the satellite launch," M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, part of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
He said the satellite has been tested and mated with the rocket and the heat shield will be closed Monday.
"Full test will be done again Tuesday and the rocket will be moved to the second launch pad on March 4," Prasad said.
According to him, the space agency's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) has to give the final nod for the rocket's flight.
The LAB meeting is slated for March 6.
The 59 hour countdown is expected to begin on March 7 morning.
Weighing 1,425 kg, the fourth of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellite-IRNSS-1D would be flown into space in an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL.
After its successful launch and commissioning IRNSS-ID is expected to make India among select group of countries having its own satellite navigation system.
The satellite has a life span of around 10 years.
Currently India is knocking at the door step of an exclusive space club - navigation satellite system owing club - that has the US, Russia, China and Japan as members.
Though the full system comprises of nine satellites - seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by - the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said earlier.
Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket would cost around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.
The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015.
The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third one October 16, 2014.
Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on others.
The IRNSS will provide two types of services -- standard positioning service and restricted service. The former is provided to all users and the latter is an encrypted service for authorised users.
The IRNSS system comprises of two segments - the space and the ground. The space segment consists of seven satellites of which three will be in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit.
The ground segment consists of infrastructure for controlling, tracking and other facilities.
The matter has heated up after the statement of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) na
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, relations between Bangladesh and India have conti
Anjali Arora opened the pole of Karanvir Bohra, said - Showing the picture of the wife said ...
Kangana Ranaut's reality show is being compared to Bigg Boss from the beginning. Recently Saisha
On Sunday, a protest was held by the Hindu community in Navi Mumbai against the atrocities being
IND vs SA: 'I was short of breath...', why did Arshdeep thank KL Rahul after taking five wickets?
India defeated South Africa by eight wickets in the first match of the three-match ODI series. Wi
After the alleged suicide of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal at Odisha's Kalinga Institute of Indu
Parliament: Rahul Gandhi asked- PM tell who are the 50 top defaulters? Uproar in Lok Sabha
The proceedings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha started after the opposition's uproar last week. Dur
Ishan Kishan's first reaction came out when he was not selected for the Asia Cup
Ishan Kishan's first reaction has come to the fore after he could not make it to the Indian team
There is a strange gender imbalance in American colleges these days, but the change isn't going t
Pakistan Army not getting hawk even after ceasefire agreement, LOC is engaged in this tactic
Although peace has prevailed since the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on the LoC,
