India Launches IRNSS-1D Saturday March 28,2015

 

The stage is set for the launch of India's satellite IRNSS-1D on Friday from Sriharikota onboard workhorse PSLV-C27 that would pave the way for the country's own navigation system on par with the GPS of US. "The countdown (which began at 5:49 AM on Thursday) is progressing smoothly

Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS)-1D is the fourth in the series of seven satellites, planned by ISRO to put in place the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), currently under development

The IRNSS system, targeted to be completed by this year at a total cost of Rs. 1,420 crore, will be targeted at South Asia and is designed to provide accurate position information services to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary

IRNSS' applications include terrestrial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, navigation aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice navigation for drivers.
While four satellites would be sufficient to start operations of the system, the remaining three would make it more accurate and efficient, ISRO said

The first 3 satellites in the IRNSS series were launched from Sriharikota on July 1, 2013, April 4 and October 16 last year respectively

Exactly at 5.19 pm, the rocket - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle - (PSLV-C27) standing about 44 metres tall and weighing around 320 tonne, tore into the evening skies with fierce orange flames at its tail.