The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday achieved a significant milestone with its 100th launch from Sriharikota. A GSLV-F15 rocket lifted off from the space centre at 6.23 am carrying the NVS-02 satellite to replace the IRNSS-1E satellite.
“Mission Success! The GSLV-F15/NVS-02 mission has been successfully accomplished. India reaches new heights in space navigation,” ISRO posted on X.
Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh congratulated the space agency for “achieving the milestone”.
“It’s a privilege to be associated with the Department of Space at the historic moment of this record feat. Team ISRO, you have once again made India proud with successful launch of GSLV-F15/NVS-02 Mission,” he posted on X.
The mission is also the first for ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, who assumed office earlier this month.
“The satellite was precisely injected into the required orbit. This mission is the 100th launch which is a very significant milestone,” Narayanan said in his address after the launch.
Taking off from the second launchpad at Sriharikota, the 50.9-m GSLV placed the 2,250-kg satellite in a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) 323 km above the earth about 19 minutes after take-off at 6.23 am. It was the eighth operational flight of the GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic stage.
The IRNSS-1E satellite, which was replaced today by NVS-02, was launched in January 2016. In 2023, NVS-01, the first satellite of the NVS series, had replaced the IRNSS-1G satellite.
Stating that the NVS series satellites were “second-generation navigation satellites”, ISRO sources said these would gradually replace the remaining four navigation satellites launched between 2013 and 2015.
As compared to the earlier satellites, the second-generation satellite series includes L1 navigation band and encompasses indigenously developed rubidium atomic clock. The L1 navigation band is popular for providing position, navigation and timing services for civilian users and for interoperability with other GNSS signals, officials said.