NAVIC/INDIAN REGIONAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM (IRNSS)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the navigation satellite ‘NVS-01’ onboard its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
ABOUT NAVIC:
KEY FEATURES:
- It is an independent stand-alone navigation satellite system which Presently comprises 7 satellites.
- It is developed by ISRO. NavIC was approved in 2006.
- It was expected to be completed by late 2011, but it only became operational in 2018.
- NavIC covers the whole of India’s landmass and up to 1,500 km from its boundaries.
- It was recognised by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) for operation in the Indian Ocean Region in 2020.
What are the applications of NAVIC?
- Currently, NavIC is being used in:
- ○ Public vehicle tracking in India,
- ○ For providing emergency warning alerts to fishermen venturing into the deep sea where there is no terrestrial network connectivity, and
- ○ For tracking and providing information related to natural disasters.
- Enabling it in smartphones is the next step India is pushing for.
What is the significance of NAVIC?
- In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive for self-reliance, India has over the years expanded the use of its regional navigation satellite system called NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).
- The Union government wants to reduce dependence on foreign systems, including the widely used U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), and says NavIC provides more accurate domestic navigation and that its use would benefit the economy.
NAVIGATION SYSTEMS OF OTHER COUNTRIES:
China (Bidou), the European Union (Galileo), Japan (QZSS(Quasi-Zenith Satellite System)) and Russia (GLONASS) have their own global or regional navigation systems to rival GPS. Operational since 2018, NavIC’s uptake is minimal; it is mandated in public vehicle location trackers, for example.
