India today launches first navigation satellite

India today launches first navigation satellite

      India today will launch the first of a series of planned space launches its navigation satellites, designed to create a national navigation system IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System). The intensification of India's efforts against the background of how China has set up more than half of its Beidou navigation system.

      Chapter of Indian space organization ISRO Devi Prasad Karnik says IRNSS designed in such a way as to provide accurate navigation data and additional services over the territory of India and within a radius of 1500 km from its borders.

       The launch with the first satellite is expected today from the territory of Andhra Pradesh in the south-east of the country at 21:41 MSK. According to the adopted plan now, India will launch one satellite every six months, and fully functional navigation system will be in 2015.

       It is known that in addition to military navigation IRNSS will provide civil services related to transportation management, monitoring, disaster, and civil positioning. For military satellite navigation signal will be encrypted. Reportedly, the cost of the project amounts to 14.2 billion rupees, or $ 237 million.

       Satellite constellation Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) will consist of seven satellites in geosynchronous orbits at an altitude of 24,000 km. They will broadcast information about the location and time signals.