ISRO will launch its seventh and final navigation satellite on April 28.”The satellite navigation system up in the sky, said a senior space agency official. The PSLV rocket will blast off after 12 noon on April 28 from India’s spaceport at in Andhra Pradesh, around 80km from in Chennai.
The full system includes nine satellites – seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by, the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites. In July 2013, the first satellite, IRNSS-1A, was launched, the second in April 2014, the third on October 2014, the fourth in March 2015, and the fifth and sixth on January 20 and March 10 this year.
The IRNSS is similar to the global positioning system of the Glonass of Russia, US (24 satellites), and Galileo of Europe and China’s Beidou.
India has launched six regional navigational satellites including IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID, 1E and 1F. These seven satellites can provide accurate position information service to users extending up to an area of 1,500km.
ISRO is in the process of R&D activities the front end radio frequency chips for the satellite navigation system.
