Having had its confidence shaken by the post launch failure of its GSAT-6A satellite, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) bounced back with the successful launch of its IRNSS-1I (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1i) navigation satellite by a PSLV-XL rocket. The launch took place from the Sriharikota launch site located near the Bay of Bengal at 2234 GMT on 11 April 2018. The satellite was originally to have been a ground spare but was pressed into service as a result of in-orbit and launch failures, specifically due to IRNSS-1A’s atomic clock faults, and the launch loss of IRNSS-1H which became trapped within the rocket’s payload shroud.
The new 1,425kg IRNSS-1I satellite will be part of the NavIC navigation satellite constellation, one of four in inclined geosynchronous Earth orbit that complement three in a zero inclination Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
PSLV-XL launches IRNSS-1I on 11 April 2018. Courtesy: ISRO
