ISRO gears up for next-generation navigational satellite launch on Monday; all you need to know

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its next-generation navigational satellite - NVS-1 - on Monday. The 2,232-kilogram satellite will fly onboard Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on May 29.

"The launch of the GSLV-F12/NVS-01 mission is scheduled on Monday, May 29 at 10:42 hours IST from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota," the national space agency said last week.

NVS-01 is the first of India’s second-generation NavIC satellites. It is a regional navigation system that is a constellation of seven satellites in certain different orbits. 

Two solar arrays which could generate power up to 2.4 kW will power the satellite along with a Lithium-ion battery supporting payload and bus load during the eclipse. The satellite utilises a combination of passive and active thermal management techniques, incorporates a unified bi-propellant propulsion system and features a three-axis body stabilisation using a zero-momentum system equipped with reaction wheels.

This mission has an anticipated duration of 12 years and will be accompanied by an indigenously developed Rubidium atomic clock from Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad. ISRO emphasise that this clock is a significant technology possessed by only a few nations.

As the 51.7-meter-tall rocket prepares for its night flight, the GSLV will once again deploy the indigenous cryogenic stage. With a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes, this robust rocket is anticipated to reach an impressive speed of 36,568 kilometres. After approximately 18 minutes of flight, the payload is expected to separate upon reaching space.

You can watch the live coverage of the NVS-1 mission from Sriharikota on ISRO's YouTube Channel. ISRO will be conducting a live stream of the mission, which can be followed here: