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Private sector enters satellite building with ‘IRNSS replacement’ launch today
MUMBAI: India’s success in space exploration has been growing tremendously.
One of the seven satellites in the constellation, as three rubidium atomic clocks on board had stopped functioning, the IRNSS- 1H satellite, weighing 1,425kg, will be launched from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), on the ISRO’s launch vehicle PSLV-XL.
The launch of India’s eighth navigational satellite IRNSS- 1H scheduled at 19:00 hrs today will mark the first time the private sector got actively involved in assembling and testing of a satellite. In the past, the private sector has supplied components for satellites, it has now been involved in the actual assembly.
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India on par with US-based GPS. The system that offers services like terrestrial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, navigation aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice navigation for drivers, was named ‘NavIC’ (Navigation with Indian Constellation) by the prime minister Narendra Modi.
The launch vehicle PSLV-C39 will use the ‘XL’ version of PSLV equipped with six strap-ons, each carrying 12 tons of propellant.
ISRO chairman S Kiran Kumar said that a private company was for the first time involved in the integration of a satellite. Progressively, more such companies would be involved, he added. Subsystems of the payload and launch vehicle were being developed in collaboration with the industry, Kumar said.
Around 25 per cent of the IRNSS-1H development work was successfully completed by a consortium led by Bengaluru-based Alpha Design Tecnologies, under the guidance of ISRO scientists.
The need to launch this satellite came up after three atomic clocks on board ISRO’s first navigational satellite IRNSS-1A, launched in 2013, had stopped functioning. Imported from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium, the clocks are used to provide accurate locational data used in several earth-based applications, such as navigation and monitoring.
The IRNSS-1H will be launched into a sub geosynchronous transfer orbit after which two solar panels of the satellite will be automatically deployed, and the master control facility at Hassan will perform orbit raising manoeuvres of the satellite.
NavIC is useful for merchant ships in navigation and also during search and rescue operations. NavIC helps commuters to traverse distances and also enable transport operators to track their vehicles. The system is also helpful for railways in tracking trains and also giving an alert in the case of unmanned level crossing.
NavIC is also used for other applications like location-based services, survey and alignment, time synchronised services. It provides two types of services — standard positioning service and restricted service.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
