ISRO successfully launches replacement navigation satellite

Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation's navigation satellite INRSS-1I was on Thursday launched by PSLV-C41 from the spaceport in Sriharikota and successfully placed in the designated orbit. PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission blasted off at 4.04 am from the first launchpad at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre. It was a normal lift-off, ISRO officials said.

The workhorse, PSLV, injected the satellite into orbit 19 minutes after lift-off from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. ISRO Chairman K Sivan described the mission as a success and congratulated the scientists behind it. He said IRNSS-1I was successfully placed in the designated orbit. IRNSS-1I is expected to replace IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven navigation satellites, that was rendered ineffective after its three rubidium atomic clocks failed. The seven satellites are part of the NavIC navigation satellite constellation.

The launch is ISRO's second attempt at sending a replacement satellite. The previous mission of a PSLV carrying IRNSS-1H in August 2017, failed after the heat shield covering the satellite failed to separate. The IRNSS-1I mission takes place two weeks after the space agency launched GSAT-6A on board GSLV Mk-II. Though the rocket placed GSAT-6A in orbit, the ISRO lost communication with the satellite within two days.