With the launch of the IRNSS-1G at 12:50 pm on Thursday, India will have its seventh and final satellite in place to finally launch its own navigational system on the lines of the US’s GPS system.
Two satellites of the constellation of seven satellites had been successfully put in orbit earlier this year. Till date, ISRO has launched six regional navigational satellites, IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID, 1E and 1F, which were all a part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate mapping information.
With the launch of the latest satellite, India will have a completely independent regional navigational system and will not require assistance of any other platform.
Every satellite costs nearly Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs about Rs.130 crore. The cost of the entire project is around Rs 910 crore.
ISRO is hoping to have the IRNSS system operational by July and has been working to convince mobile device manufacturers, Global Information System Technology developers and navigation device manufacturers to switch to the new system once it’s up and running.
Data from the IRNSS can be used in services like car navigation, aircraft and shipping routes, smartphones and other devices. This will mean transport can be planned more efficiently since real time, accurate data will be available for anything in India and upto 1500 km from its borders.