India is all set to have its own
navigation system in 2015 which would be a regional version of the Global
Positioning System (GPS) of the United States.
The GPS is a space-based satellite
navigation system managed by the United States that provides location and
time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where
there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. The
system provides critical capabilities to military, civil and commercial users
around the world. It is freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.
“We will be completing the IRNSS (Indian
Regional Satellite Navigation System) constellation by launching four more
satellites and operationalise the navigation
system," outgoing Isro chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan told HT. “
The requirement of such a navigation system is needed because access to
foreign government-controlled global navigation satellite systems can be
restricted and become disturbed in hostile situations. The IRNSS
would provide two services, with the Standard Positioning Service open for
civilian use and the Restricted Service, encrypted one, for authorised users
(military).”
Maintaining that satellite navigation
was a domain that was constantly evolving he said: “ Our Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System will be a regional system, dedicated for
usage in Indian Main land and 1500 km around. Initially it would be a
constellation of 7 Satellites at an altitude of 36,000 km, distributed in
geostationary and inclined orbits. The accuracy is expected to be 10-20
meters depending on the application.”
With this India will join a select group
of countries including US, China and Russia who have their
navigational system. Russia had recently launched a new generation
Glonass-K navigation satellite.
Besides the completion of IRNSS series,
Dr Radhakrishnan said there were many other important launches lined up
for next year: “ There would be a launch of GSAT 6 using GSLV, launch of
ASTROSAT using PSLV and launch of a heavy communication satellite GSAT 15
carrying 24 Ku band transponders.”
Commercial launch of a few foreign satellites
including three UK satellites are targeted for January 2015 to March
2016, he said.
Among other things, ground testing of
high power cryogenic engine for LVM 3(GSLV Mk III) for development of advanced
communication satellites, remote sensing satellites and Indian lander would be
progressing all through 2015.
“Research and development, technical
infrastructure development would continue next year. Enhancing space
applications would be an important target for the coming months”