ISRO launched Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1F

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 10 March 2016 launched the country’s sixth Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS)-1F, on board the trusted launch vehicle PSLV C-32.

The lift off took place from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikotta, India’s spaceport at 4:01pm. Satellite IRNSS-1F was launched after the 54-and-a-half hour countdown that started on 8 March 2016.

XL version of PSLV was used in PSLV-C32 and it was the twelfth time that the 'XL' configuration was flown.

Salient features of Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS)-1F
• The lift off mass of IRNSS – 1F is 1425 kg and the dry mass is 598 kg.
• Its configuration is similar to that of IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, 1D AND 1E.
• The two solar arrays of IRNSS-1F consisting of Ultra Triple Junction solar cells generate about 1660 watts of electrical power.
• The Mission life of IRNSS-1F is 12 years
• IRNSS-1F carried two types of payloads – navigation payload and ranging payload. The navigation payload of IRNSS-1F will transmit navigation service signals to the users.
• This payload will be operating in L5 band (1176.45 MHz) and S band (2492.028 MHz).
• Highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is the part of the navigation payload of the satellite.
• The ranging payload of the satellite consists of C-band transponder which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.
• IRNSS-1F also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.

IRNSS-1F will form part of the home-grown seven satellites Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) to provide accurate position information services, similar to the GPS in the whole country and up to 1500 km around it.

This is India’s second mission in 2016, and the first one was also the successful insertion of an IRNSS-1E navigation satellite by PSLV C-31 on 20 January 2016.

The other four IRNSS satellites which were launched
• IRNSS-1A Mission launched by PSLV C-22 in July 2013
• IRNSS-1B Mission launched by PSLV C-24 in April 2014
• IRNSS-1C Mission launched by PSLV C-26 in October 2014
• IRNSS-1D Mission launched by PSLV C-27 in March 2015

Now get latest Current Affairs on mobile, Download # 1  Current Affairs App