IRNSS-1A

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title: "IRNSS-1A" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["spacecraft-launched-in-2013", "2013-in-india", "irnss-satellites", "spacecraft-launched-by-pslv-rockets"] description: "Indian navigation satellite" topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRNSS-1A" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Indian navigation satellite ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight|auto=all"]

Field	Value
name	IRNSS-1A
mission_type	Navigation
operator	ISRO
COSPAR_ID	2013-034A
SATCAT	39199
mission_duration	Planned: 10 years
Elapsed:
spacecraft_bus	I-1K
manufacturer	ISRO Satellite Centre
Space Applications Centre
dry_mass	614 kg
launch_mass	1425 kg
power	1,660 watts
launch_date
launch_rocket	PSLV-XL C22
launch_site	Satish Dhawan FLP
launch_contractor	ISRO
orbit_epoch	22 January 2015, 16:27:41 UTC
orbit_reference	Geocentric
orbit_regime	Geosynchronous
orbit_periapsis	35,706.1 km
orbit_apoapsis	35,882.7 km
orbit_inclination	29.3°
orbit_period	1436.1 minutes
orbit_longitude	55° E
apsis	gee
programme	NavIC
next_mission	IRNSS-1B
::

| name = IRNSS-1A | image = | image_caption =

| mission_type = Navigation | operator = ISRO | website = | COSPAR_ID = 2013-034A | SATCAT = 39199 | mission_duration = Planned: 10 years Elapsed:

| spacecraft_bus = I-1K | manufacturer = ISRO Satellite Centre Space Applications Centre | dry_mass = 614 kg | launch_mass = 1425 kg | power = 1,660 watts

| launch_date = | launch_rocket = PSLV-XL C22 | launch_site = Satish Dhawan FLP | launch_contractor = ISRO

| disposal_type = | deactivated = | last_contact = | decay_date =

| orbit_epoch = 22 January 2015, 16:27:41 UTC | orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Geosynchronous | orbit_periapsis = 35,706.1 km | orbit_apoapsis = 35,882.7 km | orbit_inclination = 29.3° | orbit_period = 1436.1 minutes | orbit_longitude = 55° E | apsis = gee

| programme = NavIC | previous_mission = | next_mission = IRNSS-1B

IRNSS-1A is the first navigational satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) series of satellites been placed in geosynchronous orbit.

Satellite

The satellite has been developed at a cost of , and was launched on 1 July 2013. It will provide IRNSS services to the Indian public, which would be a system similar to Global Positioning System (GPS) but only for India and the region around it.

Each IRNSS satellite has two payloads: a navigation payload and CDMA ranging payload in addition with a laser retro-reflector. The payload generates navigation signals at L5 and S-band. The design of the payload makes the IRNSS system inter-operable and compatible with GPS and Galileo. The satellite is powered by two solar arrays, which generate power up to 1,660 watts, and has a lifetime of ten years.

Launch

The satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) on 1 July 2013 at 11:41 PM (IST). The launch was postponed from its initial launch date of 26 June 2013 due to a technical snag in the 2nd stage of the PSLV-C22 launch rocket. ISRO then replaced the faulty component in the rocket and rescheduled the launch to 1 July 2013 at 11:43 p.m.

Scientists from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)'s Institute of Communications and Navigation in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, have received signals from IRNSS-1A. On 23 July 2013, the German Aerospace Center scientists pointed their 30-meter dish antenna at Weilheim towards the satellite and found that it was already transmitting a signal in the L5 frequency band.

Partial Failure

The three Rubidium atomic clocks on-board IRNSS-1A failed, with the first failure occurring in July 2016. ISRO planned to replace it with IRNSS-1H, in August 2017, but this failed to separate from the launch vehicle. On 12 April 2018, ISRO launched successfully IRNSS-1I as a replacement for IRNSS-1A.

The cause of failure was traced to one of the feed through capacitor carrying the DC supply to the physics package of clock, malfunctioning due to excessive rise in temperature. IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1G are now being used only for NavIC's short message broadcast service.

References

References

1. (22 January 2015). "IRNSS-1A Satellite details 2013-034A NORAD 39199". N2YO.
2. "IRNSS". space.skyrocket.de.
3. (2 July 2013). "India's first ever dedicated navigation satellite launched". DNA India.
4. (2 July 2013). "India's first dedicated navigation satellite placed in orbit". NDTV.
5. (19 March 2013). "Planned Satellite Launches in 2013". satlaunch.net.
6. "IRNSS". space.skyrocket.de.
7. "India launches its first navigation satellite". The Times of India.
8. "Technical snag puts off satellite launch: ISRO". SGP.
9. "PSLV-C22/IRNSS-1A Mission Status". ISRO.
10. S Giri Prasad. (14 June 2013). "Indian equivalent of the GPS satellite". [[The Hindu]].
11. (25 July 2013). "Indian Regional Navigation Satellite Starts Signal Transmissions". GPS World.
12. D.S., Madhumathi. "Atomic clocks on indigenous navigation satellite develop snag". The Hindu.
13. "Questions: Loksabha- Q.No. 1112 Answered on: 08.02.2017".
14. "PSLV-C41/IRNSS-1I Mission".
15. "Launching of Replacement Navigation Satellite".
16. "Annual Report 2019-20". Department of Space.
17. "ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021". ISRO.

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