India successfully puts into orbit its first 2nd Gen navigation satellite

TIL Desk/National/Sriharikota(AP)/ India successfully put into orbit the first of its second-generation navigation satellite NVS-01 on Monday in a copybook style. The 2,232 kg NVS-01 satellite — part of Indian satellite navigation system NavIC or originally called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)– was carried by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

Simply put, NavIC is an Indian ‘GPS’ – Global Positioning System. Around 10.42 a.m. the three-staged GSLV rockets standing 51.7 metres tall and weighing 420 tons rose up into the skies from the second launch pad here. Breaking free of the earth’s gravitational pull the rocket went up and up with a bright orange fire at its tail.

At the rocket mission control room Indian space scientists at ISRO were glued to their computer screens watching the rocket’s flight progress. Just over 19 minutes into the flight the rocket slung NVS-01 into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from where the satellite will be taken up to its final position. The Indian satellite navigation system NavIC consists of nine satellites — seven in orbit and two as substitutes. NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features.