NAVigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC)

In News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is introducing the L1 frequency in all its future satellites with an aim to promote the civilian use of NAVigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC). 

About 

• The seven satellites in the NavIC constellation so far use two frequencies for providing positioning data — L5 and S band.
• The next satellites, starting from NVS-01 onwards, will have an L1 band for civilian navigational use.
• The L1 frequency is one of the most commonly used frequencies in the Global Positioning System (GPS),
• Advantages:
  • It will increase the use of the regional navigation system in wearable devices and personal trackers that use low-power, single-frequency chips. 

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)

• NavIC is an independent stand-alone navigation satellite system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• NavIC was originally approved in 2006 at a cost of $174 million. 
• It was expected to be completed by late 2011, but only became operational in 2018.
• NavIC consists of eight satellites and covers the whole of India’s landmass and up to 1,500 km (930 miles) from its boundaries.
• Application:
  • It 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.
  • NavIC finds utilization in national projects like public vehicle safety, power grid synchronization, real-time train information system and fishermen safety. 
• Significance:
  • NavIC is an indigenous positioning system that is under Indian control. 
  • Removing dependence on foreign satellite systems for navigation service requirements, particularly for “strategic sectors.”
  • There is no risk of the service being withdrawn or denied in a given situation.

Source: IE