Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO) is gearing up to launch its fifth regional navigation Satellite IRNSS-1E on January 20. M Annadurai, director ISRO told the media in Mysuru on Monday at the sidelines of the ongoing Indian Science Congress that ISRO would be launching IRNSS-1E on January 20.
He said, “We are loading fuel in the rocket for the launch of the fifth regional navigation satellite system (IRNSS-1E) on January 20 from our spaceport.”
IRNSS-1E would help in disaster management, vehicle-tracking and fleet management, mapping and geodetic data capture, visual and voice navigation for drivers and along with other applications.
He also informed that ISRO will launch the sixth (IRNSS-1F) and seventh satellites (IRNSS-1G) in the earth’s lower orbit in mid-February and by March 31 respectively. The first four satellites were placed in observational orbit between July 2013 and March 2015. The 44-metre polar satellite launch vehicle, a workhorse weighing about 320 tonne at lift-off, will be used to carry the 1.4-tonne fifth spacecraft into orbit.
“The system’s first four satellites are already in use,” Annadurai said after addressing delegates on ‘Space Science, Technology and Applications’ at a plenary on the second day of the five-day annual science fair. The Indian navigation satellite system will be similar to the global positioning system of the US, Glonass of Russia, Galileo of Europe, Beidou of China and Quasi Zenith satellite system of Japan.
“The system will provide two types of services-standard positioning services to all users and restricted services to authorised users,” Annadurai added. The space agency has set up ground stations for generation and transmission of navigation parameters, satellite control as well as ranging and monitoring across the country.
According to Annadurai ISRO is coming up with a ‘Space Park’ in Bengaluru to help the industry. He also said ISRO would be launching eight PSlV and two GSlV vehicles this year and the requirement of satellites was mounting. He went on to say that industry participation for building satellites end-to-end will now be allowed by the space agency under ‘Make in India’ programme.
“Make in India is prominent among our focus areas and already many industries in the private sector are participating in the same programmes. To boost this collaboration we are building a Space Park in over 100 acre plot near the IT hub of Whitefield in Bengaluru. We will accommodate industries that cannot invest in new facilities for the space programmes,” he added.
He said the industry would be allowed to build satellites starting from structure, up to testing stage and ISRO will do the job of enabling them. “We want these industries, which have already partnered with ISRO to increase manufacturing of the number of satellites, besides we are also inviting fresh players. We have already had a meeting with the industry body CII to encourage
private sector for higher involvement in ISRO’s space programme. When it comes to small satellites we may allow the industries to do all the work from structure to integration. Now they are doing it in bits and pieces. The space park will have a facility under one roof for the industry partners. We are already allowing them in ISAC and other ISRO facilities to manufacture components and structures for building satellites,” he said.
later, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the same plenary, ISRO liquid Propulsion Space Centre director S Somnath said that the space agency has now allowed the private industry to manufacture almost all parts of rockets. The propellant casting was done in Sriharikota as it was a hazardous operation.