360India launches a satellite to restore its own navigation system
India's space agency ISRO launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite at 23:51 India time on 30 October from Sriharikota. Its GSLV rocket placed it in the planned orbit. The launch brings NavIC, India's own alternative to GPS, back to its minimum of four working satellites. ISRO says it came just 56 days after its previous GSLV mission.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite. A GSLV rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota at 23:51 India time on Friday, 30 October, and placed the satellite in its planned transfer orbit.
It was the 20th flight of the GSLV rocket. The satellite will now use its own engine to climb to its final position in geosynchronous orbit, at 32.5 degrees East.
NVS-03 joins NavIC, India's regional satellite navigation system. Like the American GPS, NavIC tells phones, ships, aircraft and vehicles where they are, with coverage over India and the region around it. The new satellite brings the system back to its minimum working set of four satellites.
ISRO's chairman said the mission was completed with the shortest gap yet between two GSLV launches: 56 days.
Sources: ISRO; Business Standard; Next Spaceflight.