Isro: Own GPS was essential

ISRO's PSLV-C33 carrying India's navigation satellite, the IRNSS-1G lifts off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. (Photo: PTI)

It was time for celebration at SHAR with the seventh and last IRNSS satellite in place, paving the way for India’s own GPS system.

Isro officials said the navigation system had become essential because access to foreign government-controlled global navigation satellite systems could be restricted in hostile situations.

The IRNSS envisages establishment of a regional navigation system using a combination of geostationary earth orbit (GEO) and geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellites. The IRNSS constellation comprises three GEO and four GSO satellites. It will provide two types of services — Standard Positioning Services (SPS), provided to all users, and Restricted Services (RS), provided to authorised users.

While IRNSS was already operational with the first four satellites, the remaining three were required to make it “more accurate and efficient”, said Isro officials. The PM said the new service will be known as “NAVIC” as a mark of tribute to courageous Indian boatmen who, ages ago, would reach their unknown destinations using the navigation of stars and the speed of moon and sun. “Now we are going to do this with the help of science and technology,” he said, adding that the world will know this as “NAVIC” as a mark of tribute to the poor fishermen of the country who have set an age-old tradition of courage.