ISRO gets ready to hit century

Tirupati: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began the 27-hour countdown for its 100th mission at 2:53 am on Tuesday, marking a historic milestone. The mission involves launching the NVS-02 navigation satellite aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F15), with lift-off scheduled for 6:23 am on Wednesday from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission holds special significance as it is the 100th launch from India’s premier spaceport and the first under the leadership of ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan, who took office earlier this year. The GSLV-F15 will deploy the NVS-02 satellite, part of the second-generation Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series, into a geosynchronous orbit. The satellite will replace the aging IRNSS-1E and enhance the accuracy and coverage of NavIC, India’s regional navigation satellite system.

The NVS-02 satellite is designed to deliver precise Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) services across India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. NavIC offers two types of services: a Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for civilian use and a Restricted Service (RS) for strategic and military applications. With an additional L1 frequency band, the NVS-02 satellite improves compatibility with modern global navigation systems.

The GSLV-F15 is a 50.9-metre-tall, 420.7-tonne three-stage launch vehicle. It features a solid core booster in the first stage, four liquid strap-ons, a high-thrust liquid engine in the second stage and an indigenous cryogenic upper stage powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The payload fairing is optimised to house the 2,250-kg NVS-02 satellite, which will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit after a mission duration of approximately 1,150 seconds.

Built on ISRO’s I-2K platform, the NVS-02 satellite operates in the L1, L5, and S bands and includes a Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard for precise timing and positioning. With a power capacity of 3 kw, the satellite underwent rigorous testing to ensure its readiness for deployment. It is expected to bolster NavIC’s applications in areas like defence, agriculture, navigation, fleet management, geodetic surveying and emergency response systems. Additionally, it supports IoT-based solutions and critical timing services for modern infrastructure.