Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) / NavIC

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is set to launch three more navigation satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also known as NavIC. These launches are planned to take place by 2026.

About IRNSS / NavIC

What is IRNSS?
IRNSS, or Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, is an autonomous satellite navigation system developed by ISRO to provide accurate position information services to users in India and surrounding areas. It is also called NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).

Development and Purpose:

• NavIC was developed by ISRO to serve the Indian subcontinent and the region up to 1500 km from India’s borders.

• The system ensures independent navigation capabilities for India, reducing reliance on other international systems like GPS.

NavIC System Configuration

The NavIC system is made up of a combination of satellites placed in different orbits:

• Seven Satellites in Total:

  • Three satellites in Geostationary Orbit (GSO): These satellites maintain a fixed position relative to the Earth, ensuring continuous coverage over India.

  • Four satellites in Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO): These provide additional coverage, ensuring the system’s availability across the region.

• Ground Stations:

  • NavIC operates through a network of ground stations that monitor and control the satellites in real time.

Types of Services Provided by IRNSS/NavIC

1. Standard Positioning Service (SPS):

   • This service is available to all users, providing civilian use of navigation data for positioning and timing.

2. Restricted Service (RS):

   • This encrypted service is provided exclusively to authorized users (such as military or government bodies). It ensures security and reliability for critical applications.

Area of Coverage

• The IRNSS/NavIC system is designed to provide accurate positioning information within India and the surrounding area, extending up to 1,500 km from India's boundaries. This includes the entire Indian subcontinent and its maritime boundaries.

Interoperability with Other GNSS

NavIC is designed to be interoperable with other global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as:

• GPS (USA)

• GLONASS (Russia)

• Galileo (EU)

• BeiDou (China)

NavIC’s Standard Positioning Service (SPS) signals are compatible with the signals of other GNSS systems, making it possible for devices to use signals from multiple satellite systems to improve positioning accuracy and reliability.

Importance of IRNSS/NavIC

• Independence in Navigation: NavIC reduces India’s dependency on foreign satellite systems, offering a sovereign, independent navigation infrastructure.

• Strategic and Security Uses: The Restricted Service (RS) offered by NavIC is crucial for defense and security purposes, ensuring that critical military and strategic operations have access to secure, accurate navigation data.

• Commercial and Civil Use: NavIC's Standard Positioning Service (SPS) is beneficial for commercial sectors, including transportation, logistics, farming, aviation, and mobile applications, contributing to the economy.