India: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch three satellites belonging to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation this year. Delivering the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Memorial Lecture on ‘Recent Flights in Indian Space Programme’, scientific secretary of Isro V Koteshwara Rao revealed that three IRNSS satellites–IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C and IRNSS-1D will be launched this year.
IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1,500 km around the Indian mainland. IRNSS would provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Services (SPS) – provided to all users – and Restricted Services (RS) that is provided only to authorised users. It is a constellation of seven satellites and Isro has already launched IRNSS-1A, first of the seven satellites constituting the space segment of the IRNSS last year. The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015-16.
Source: DNA
