The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to conduct its 100th rocket launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on January 29. The milestone launch will feature the GSLV-F15 rocket, which is scheduled to lift off at 6:23 am from the second launch pad. The rocket will carry the NVS-02 navigation satellite.
This event marks the 100th launch from Sriharikota, a site that hosted its first major rocket launch the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) on August 10, 1979.
GSLV-F15 will be the 17th flight of India’s GSLV and the 11th using an indigenous cryogenic stage. It is the eighth operational flight of the GSLV with the indigenous cryogenic stage and will feature a payload fairing with a diameter of 3.4 meters. The rocket is designed to place the NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
The NVS-02 satellite is part of the second-generation constellation for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system. NavIC is India’s navigation system, developed to provide accurate position, velocity, and timing services within India and areas extending up to 1,500 kilometers beyond its borders.
According to ISRO, the NVS-02 satellite introduces support for the L1 frequency band, which will enhance its performance and reliability. It is built on the I-2K bus platform, with a lift-off mass of 2,250 kilograms, a power-handling capacity of about 3 kilowatts, and navigation payloads operating on L1, L5, and S bands. A ranging payload in the C-band is also included, and the satellite will be stationed at 111.75 degrees East, replacing IRNSS-1E.
NavIC offers two services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). The SPS delivers a position accuracy of better than 20 meters and timing accuracy within 40 nanoseconds.
