Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the launch of the navigation satellite, NVS-01, on May 29 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Weighing 2,232 kilograms, the satellite will be deployed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). This mission marks the introduction of the second-generation satellites for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system. The NavIC system is India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, similar to the renowned Global Positioning System (GPS) owned by the United States. The NVS series aims to enhance and expand the NavIC services with the incorporation of L1 band signals and the inclusion of an indigenous atomic clock in NVS-01, a significant milestone for ISRO.
“The launch of the GSLV-F12/NVS-01 mission is scheduled on Monday, May 29 at 10:42 hours IST from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota,” the Bengaluru- headquartered national space agency said in a release on Monday.
