ISRO announced on Sunday that the integration of its GSLV-F15 rocket with the NVS-02 satellite had been completed. The space agency stated that the GSLV-F15, equipped with an indigenous cryogenic stage, is set for launch on January 29, carrying the NVS-02 satellite. This mission will mark the 100th launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
In a post on social media platform X, ISRO highlighted the successful integration, emphasising the teamwork involved in the mission and indicating that the countdown was less than three days until the launch. They invited the public to join them in exploring new frontiers.
According to ISRO, GSLV-F15 is designed to place the NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, with the launch scheduled from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. They noted that NVS-01, the first satellite in the second generation of this series, had been launched on May 29, 2023.
ISRO specified that NVS-02, the second satellite in the NVS series, is equipped with navigation payloads in the L1, L5, and S bands, in addition to a ranging payload in the C-band, similar to its predecessor, NVS-01. The agency explained that the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system is India’s independent regional navigation satellite system, designed to deliver accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services to users within India and in a region extending approximately 1,500 km beyond its borders, which is its primary service area.
The launch of NVS-01 through NVS-05 is intended to strengthen the NavIC base layer constellation, enhancing service continuity, as per the agency's statement. Additionally, it was mentioned that NVS-02 utilises a combination of indigenous and procured atomic clocks to ensure precise time estimation.
ISRO further revealed that the NVS-02 satellite was designed, developed, and integrated at the U R Satellite Centre (URSC) with contributions from various satellite-based work centers. They also pointed out that GSLV-F15 will be the 17th flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and the 11th mission featuring the indigenous cryogenic stage, as well as the eighth operational flight of GSLV utilising this technology.
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