Bangalore, India, 4 July 2006 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be establishing a satellite navigation system on the lines of the US Global Positioning System (GPS). The proposed Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), which will consist of a constellation of eight satellites, is likely to be operational in six years time.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the ISRO-Industry interactive meet in Bangalore on Tuesday, ISRO Chairman Mr. Madhavan Nair said the Union Cabinet had approved the Rs 1,600 crore project in May this year. “In the first four years, we have to master the technology and conduct trials, and in the next two years we will launch the satellites to put the system in place,” Nair explained.
Nair said the IRNSS will be developed indigenously and will be independent of other constellations. “The system will be totally in our control unlike the other constellation and will be optimised for our specific uses. The space segment, ground segment and user receivers will all be built in India,” Nair added.
Maintaining that there was a vast increase in the scope of work in the area of satellite navigation in India, Nair said ISRO is planning to involve the Indian industry to the maximum possible extent in all possible areas of satellite navigation.
The satellite navigation system which provides satellite based position, navigation and timing services is emerging as an important application in areas such as surface transport, intelligent highway system, maritime transport, mobile phone services, railways, precision agriculture, fisheries and marine survey.
