India on Thursday successfully put into orbit its sixth navigation satellite called IRNSS-1F with its own rocket.
With this success, India has moved closer towards joining a select group of nations possessing its own satellite-based navigation system.
Named the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), it consists of a constellation of seven satellites, of which the sixth was put into orbit on Thursday.
Immediately after the 1,425-kg IRNSS-1F satellite was injected into space by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C32) rocket, scientists at the mission control centre clapped their hands in joy. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will raise the satellite to its home slot over the next couple of days.
The satellite, with a design life span of 12 years, has two payloads for navigation and ranging.
The navigation payload of IRNSS-1F will transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band. A highly accurate rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite.
The ranging payload of IRNSS-1F consists of a C-band transponder (automatic receivers and transmitters of radio signals) which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.
IRNSS-1F also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.
Till date, India has launched six regional navigational satellites (IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID, 1E and 1F) as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.
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