ISRO launches IRNSS 1C satellite Thursday Oct 16,2014

 

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C26) lifted off with aplomb from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota at 1.32 a.m. on Thursday and precisely put the Indian navigation satellite, IRNSS-1C into its perfect, pre-designated orbit

After a long 67-hour countdown, which began at 6.32 a.m. on October 13, the PSLV lifted off from the first launch pad at 1.32 a.m


India successfully launched IRNSS 1C on board ISRO's PSLV C26 rocket from the spaceport here at 1.32 am on Thursday, moving a step closer to setting up the country's own navigation system on par with Global Positioning System (GPS) of the US.

 
IRNSS 1C is the third of the series of seven satellites ISRO is planing to launch to put in place what is called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System.
 

Lifting off from the First Launch Pad in Sriharikota exactly at 1.32 am the rocket painted a golden brush of flames in the night sky and was a visual delight for onlookers.

Twenty minutes after the launch, the launch vehicle successfully placed the 1,425.4 kg weighing satellite on the intended orbit.

ISRO has aimed to launch the satellite into a sub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (sub GTO) with a 284 km perigee (nearest point to Earth) and 20,650 km apogee (farthest point to Earth) with an inclination of 17.86 degree with respect to the equatorial plane.

The first two satellites in the series -- IRNSS 1A and IRNSS 1B were launched in July 2013 and April 2014 respectively