ISRO completes 100th mission with successful launch of navigation satellite
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its 100th mission, achieving a major milestone in India's space exploration journey. The early morning launch on Wednesday was the first under the leadership of ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, who took office on January 16. Narayanan was happy with the success of the mission, saying the satellite was "precisely injected into the required orbit." This mission also marks ISRO's maiden venture for the year 2025.
Launch details
The launch and satellite separation process
The 50.9m tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket took off from the second launch pad at a scheduled time of 6:23am today. After about 19 minutes of journey in dark and cloudy skies, the rocket successfully placed its payload—the NVS-02 navigation satellite—into its intended orbit. The satellite will help in terrestrial, aerial and maritime navigation as well as precision agriculture, fleet management, and location-based services in mobile devices, among other things.
Satellite features
NVS-02 satellite: A significant addition to India's navigation system
The NVS-02 satellite is the second in the series of Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), intended to provide accurate position, velocity, and timing information to users in the Indian subcontinent and areas around 1,500km beyond the Indian borders. Bengaluru-based U R Rao Satellite Centre designed and developed the satellite. It weighs around 2,250kg and has a navigation payload in L1, L5, and S bands with a Tri-band antenna.
Historical perspective
ISRO's journey: A legacy of space exploration
Narayanan emphasized on ISRO's journey, which started under the leadership of Vikram Sarabhai. Since its inception, ISRO has built six generations of launch vehicles and launched 548 satellites into orbit, including those for foreign clients. The first major rocket to take off from Sriharikota was the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) on August 10, 1979. Nearly 46 years later, the Department of Space has now achieved a century of launches.