Launch of IRNSS 1A aboard PSLV. Photo: ISRO

[Via Satellite 03-27-2014] The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced the launch of its second satellite, Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System 1B (IRNSS 1B) to take place on April 4. The satellite will be launched aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The constellation’s first satellite, the IRNSS 1A, was launched in July 2013.

The IRNSS 1B satellite is part of a seven-satellite Indian regional navigation system designed to provide position information services to users in India and the surrounding region, extending up to 930 miles from the nation’s boundaries. The satellite will provide Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and can be used in markets including terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, disaster management, and mapping. The system also has a ground segment that will aid in navigation parameter generation and transmission, satellite controls and integrity monitoring.