ISRO hits ton in style with successful navigation sat mission
Sriharikota (PTI): ISRO on Wednesday celebrated its 100th mission with the textbook launch of a navigation satellite that would aid in terrestrial, aerial and maritime navigation and precision agriculture, among others, with a GSLV rocket injecting the payload in the desired orbit.
The early morning launch was the first under ISRO Chairman V Narayanan's leadership--he assumed office on January 16--and also the space agency's maiden venture in 2025.
A beaming Narayanan was hugged and greeted by fellow scientists post the launch.
"I am extremely happy to announce from the spaceport of ISRO, that the first launch of this year, 2025, has been successfully accomplished, with GSLV- F15 launch vehicle precisely injecting the navigation satellite NVS-02 in the intended required (GTO) orbit," he said from the Mission Control Center.
"This mission is the 100th launch from our launchpads, which is a very significant milestone of India," the ISRO chief added.
Further, all the vehicles systems have performed as expected in today's mission.
Earlier, as the 27.30-hour countdown concluded, the 50.9 metre tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket with an indigenous cryogenic upper stage, emanating thick fumes on its tail lifted off majestically from the second launch pad at a prefixed time of 6.23 am on Wednesday.
After travelling for about 19 minutes in dark and cloudy skies, the rocket successfully separated its payload into the desired Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
The satellite is the second in the series of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) aimed to provide accurate position, velocity and timing to users in the Indian sub-continent as well as to regions about 1,500 km beyond the Indian land mass. Its predecessor, NVS-01, the first of the second generation navigation satellites was launched on May 29, 2023.
The key applications of the NVs-02 satellite are terrestrial, aerial and maritime navigation, precision agriculture, fleet management, location based services in mobile devices, orbit determination for satellites, Internet-of-Things (IoT) based applications and emergency and timing services, ISRO said.
NavIC comprises five second generation satellites--NVS-01/02/03/04/05 envisaged to augment NavIC base layer constellation with enhanced features for ensuring continuity of services.
The NVS-02 satellite designed and developed by Bengaluru-based U R Rao Satellite Centre weighs about 2,250 kg. It has navigation payload in L1, L5 and S bands and employs a Tri-band antenna.
The heart of the navigation payload is the Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS), an atomic clock which acts as a stable frequency reference for the navigation payload.
In his address, Narayanan detailed ISRO's journey.
"Our space programme was conceived and started by the visionary leader Prof Vikram Sarabhai and taken forward by generations of leaders--couple of senior leaders are right now available in the VIP gallery," he said, pointing out to former ISRO chiefs, including S Somanath and AS Kiran Kumar.
So far, ISRO has developed six generations of launch vehicles, with the first one taking shape under the guidance of Prof Satish Dhawan and with former President APJ Abdul Kalam as the project director, in 1979. It was SLV-3 E1/Rohini Technology payload.
"From that, till today, including today, we have accomplished 100 launches from these launchpads. Over these 100 launches, we have lifted 548 satellites to orbits...we have lifted totally 120 tonnes of payload including 23 tonnes of 433 foreign satellites," Narayanan informed.
The launch site here has witnessed several significant milestones of the Indian space programme, including three Chandryaan missions, Aditya L1 mission, a single rocket placing 104 satellites in the orbit and a host of communication, earth observation and navigation satellites.
"On behalf of the present generation of ISRO leaders, I salute all the previous generation of leaders, the past and present employees and our family members, industrial and academia partners for their since efforts, hardwork and dedication that enabled us to accomplish this mission," he said.
He thanked the political leadership for the encouragement and support provided throughout the space programme.
The NavIC system was evolving as the backbone of indigenous satellite navigation ecosystem of the Indian region.
"The NVS-02 satellite incorporates the second indigenous Atomic clock, which is a shining example of Make in India in the critical technology development".
"Today, many applications based on NavIC, spanning from strategic uses, tracking of shipping vessels, time syncronisation, train tracking and safety of life alert dissemination are accomplished," he said.
The future launches include NISAR with NASA.
"Concurrently you all know, we are progressing extremely well for the preparation of the uncrewed G1 mission as part of the Gaganyaan programme and some more experiments are targeted this year," he said
"I think we are accelerating the activities this year. Let me thank our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji for his visionary leadership in rolling out the space sector reforms and what he has given for the next 20 years for ISRO and DoS (Department of Space) to make this country as a developed country." he said.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
