The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised to achieve a major milestone with the 100th launch of the GSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on January 29. GSLV F15 will lift off from the second launch pad at 6:23 am, carrying the NVS-02 navigation satellite.
This landmark event marks the 100th launch from Sriharikota, with the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) being the first major rocket to lift off from this location on August 10, 1979.
ISRO shared a post on social media platform X, saying, “Standing tall and ready for the skies! Here’s the mighty GSLV-F15 all set to launch the NVS-02 satellite.”
GSLV-F15 represents the 17th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the 11th flight with an indigenous cryogenic stage. “It is the 8th operational flight of GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic stage and the 100th launch from India’s Spaceport Sriharikota,” the space agency stated.
The GSLV-F15 payload fairing is a metallic version with a diameter of 3.4 meters and is designed to place the NVS-02 satellite in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
NVS-02 is part of the second-generation satellites for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, which is India’s own navigation system. The NavIC system is designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services to users in India, as well as regions extending about 1,500 kilometers beyond the Indian landmass.
The new NVS-02 satellite comes with enhanced features, including support for the L1 frequency band, which will improve its services and reliability. “The NVS-02 satellite is the second generation of NavIC satellites, featuring a standard I-2K bus platform. It will have a lift-off mass of 2,250 kg, power handling capability of around 3 kW, navigation payload in L1, L5, and S bands, ranging payload in C-band, and will be positioned at 111.75 degrees E, replacing IRNSS-1E,” ISRO said.
NavIC will provide two types of services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). NavIC’s SPS offers a position accuracy of better than 20 meters and a timing accuracy of better than 40 nanoseconds over the service area.
