The 67-hour countdown for the Oct 16 launch of India's third navigation satellite is underway at the Sriharikota rocketport in Andhra Pradesh, space agency ISRO said Monday.At 1.32 a.m. Thursday, Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will carry the 1,425 kg third navigational satellite badged as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1C (IRNSS-1C).On Oct 12, the Indian Space Research Organisation's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) gave its nod. The countdown began Monday morning.Originally the satellite was scheduled for launch Oct 10 but was put off by a week due to a glitch in the telemetry system.During the countdown, propellant filling activities would be carried out along with checking of the various systems.
The satellite is part of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) that will have a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate positioning service for terrestrial, aerial and maritime navigation in 1,500 km area in the Indian peninsula.The second navigation satellite (IRNSS-1B) was launched April 4 this year from the spaceport. The first one - IRNSS-1A - was launched July 2013.The Indian system will be similar to the US Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia's Glonass and Europe's Galileo constellation of navigation satellites.India began its space journey in 1975 with the launch of "Aryabhatta" using a Russian rocket and till date, it has completed over 100 space missions including missions to the Moon and Mars.