The NVS-02 navigation satellite in Sriharikota.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been unable to perform the intended orbit raising operations for the NVS-02 satellite due to a valve malfunction. The NVS-02, the second satellite in the NVS series, was launched by the ISRO on January 29 as part of its landmark 100th launch from Sriharikota.

The space agency on Sunday said that the orbit raising operations towards positioning the satellite to the designated orbital slot could not be carried out as the valves for admitting the oxidiser to fire the thrusters for orbit raising did not open.

The ISRO was supposed to carry out the orbit raising operations after the launch, but has been unable to perform the manoeuvres due to the glitch. The operations were to be executed by the Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka.

“The satellite systems are healthy and the satellite is currently in elliptical orbit. Alternate mission strategies for utilising the satellite for navigation in an elliptical orbit is being worked out,” the ISRO said in a statement.

The space agency said the NVS-02 navigation satellite was successfully injected into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

“All the launch vehicle stages performed flawlessly and the orbit was achieved with a high degree of precision. Subsequent to the launch, the solar panels on board the satellite were successfully deployed and power generation is nominal. Communication with the ground station has been established,” the space agency said on Sunday.

NVS-02 is configured with navigation payload in L1, L5 and S bands, in addition to ranging payload in C-band, like its predecessor, NVS-01.

“It will be placed at 111.75ºE, replacing IRNSS-1E. NVS-02 uses a combination of indigenous and procured atomic clocks for precise time estimation,” the ISRO said before the launch.

Chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy addressing the media conference at Camp office Tadepalli on Tuesday. Photo Handout
| Photo Credit: HANDOUT

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) congratulated the  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO on the phenomenal achievement of its 100th launch from Sriharikota with the success of GSLV-F15/NVS-02 mission.

He expressed pride in Andhra Pradesh being home to Sriharikota, the gateway to India’s space missions, and lauded ISRO’s excellence in space technology, in a statement on Wednesday here.

Wishing ISRO continued success in all future endeavors, Mr. Reddy hailed this milestone as a testament to India’s growing leadership in space exploration.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) morning launched its historic 100th launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The GSLV-F15 with the NVS-02 satellite lifted off from the spaceport’s second launch pad at 6.23 a.m. and 19 minutes later the GSLV-F15 with indigenous cryogenic stage placed the NVS-02 satellite in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit as intended.

Also read: ISRO 100th mission LIVE updates

“I am extremely happy to announce from the spaceport of ISRO that the first launch of this year has been successfully accomplished with the GSLV-F15 precisely placing the NVS-02 satellite into the intended orbit. This mission is our 100th launch from here. This is a significant milestone for our space programme,” said ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan.

Dr. Narayanan who assumed charge of the space agency earlier this month added that over these 100 launches ISRO has lifted 548 satellites to orbit

“We have lifted a total of 120 tonnes of payload including 23 tonnes for 433 foreign satellites,” Dr. Narayanan added.

The NVS-02 is the second satellite in the NVS series, and part of India’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

According to ISRO, NavIC is India’s independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) service to users in India and the region extending about 1,500 km beyond the Indian landmass, which is its primary service area.

NavIC provides two types of services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). NavIC SPS provides a position accuracy of better than 20 metres (2σ) and timing accuracy of better than 40 nanoseconds (2σ) over the primary service area.

NavIC provides two types of services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). NavIC SPS provides a position accuracy of better than 20 metres (2σ) and timing accuracy of better than 40 nanoseconds (2σ) over the primary service area.

Five second-generation NavIC satellites, NVS-01/02/03/04/05, are envisaged to augment the NavIC base layer constellation with enhanced features to ensure continuity of services. The NVS series of satellites incorporate L1 band signals to widen the services.

NVS-01, the first of the second-generation satellites, was launched on board GSLV-F12 on May 29, 2023. For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock was flown in NVS-01.

NVS-02, the second satellite in the NVS series, is configured with navigation payload in L1, L5 and S bands in addition to ranging payload in C-band like its predecessor-NVS-01. It will be placed at 111.75ºE, replacing IRNSS-1E. NVS-02 uses a combination of indigenous and procured atomic clocks for precise time estimation.

“The NavIC system is evolving as the backbone of indigenous satellite navigation ecosystem of the Indian region. The first batch of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites launched in the previous decades has been successful in establishing the Personal Navigation Device (PND) services in the country, the NVS series is the second generation of these satellites that are progressively being deployed by the GSLV to augment NavIC constellation and further strengthening the PND ecosystem in the nation,” Dr. Narayanan said.

On the second indigenous atomic clock he said that this is a shining example of Make in India in critical technology development.

“Today many applications based on NavIC spanning from strategic uses, tracking of shipping vessels, time synchronization, train tracking and safety of alert life dissemination are accomplished,” he added.