Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Dr K Radhakrishnan on Sunday said that India would launch the first of the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites in 2013.
Speaking at the convocation ceremony of the National College in the city, he said, “In the next two years, India will have its very own navigation satellite.”
Part of a seven satellite constellation developed at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore, the Navigation System will provide Indian users with accuracy levels of lesser than 20 metres throughout the Indian region and an area extending more than a 1,000 km from Indian borders. With both military and civilian applications, an indigenous navigation system would put India amongst a very small group of countries with individual navigation systems.
Radhakrishnan also stated that ISRO remained committed to using space technology for the benefit of the common man and said that India has been a role model for all countries in the world in using technologies for common applications. “About 70 countries are using the data from India’s remote sensing satellites,” he observed.
Remembering his association with the college, Radhakrishnan said that he had first visited the college 38 years ago when he was auditioning for an English play. “India has a very interesting space programme with many challenges. Any one of you can take it up. We always welcome young talent at ISRO,” he said adding that the upcoming Chandrayaan II and Mars Missions would provide plenty of challenges for the future.
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