The Indian Navigation satellite that was launched yesterday from Sriharikota was a failure.
Indian Space Research Organization Chairman, A.S. Kiran Kumar said, “The mission was unsuccessful. The rocket heat shield didn’t separate. The satellite is inside the heat shield.”
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1H) satellite was supposed to be thrown into orbit at 507km from earth.
It used a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket’s XL variant to launch the satellite.
The IRNSS – 1H was to replace one of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NAVIC) that has been malfunctioning. The NAVIC is a system of seven home made navigation satellites to power the Swadeshi Global Positioning System. In January, all the three atomic clocks of one of the satellites went out of order leading to the urgent requirement to replace it.
