The launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C22) flight has been delayed by a fortnight due to an anomaly.

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1A was slated to be launched on board home-grown rocket PSLV-C22 on June 12 at 01:01 hrs from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The IRNSS-1A Satellite had gone through all electrical checks and was ready for propellant filling. The launch vehicle was fully integrated and was undergoing electrical checks. During the checks, an anomaly was observed in one of the electro-hydraulic control actuators in the second stage. It has been decided to replace this actuator.

The replacement needs two weeks of activity at the launch pad and the Vehicle Assembly Area. Accordingly, the launch of PSLV-C22/IRNSS-1A is delayed by a fortnight, says a press release from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position accuracy better than 10 metres over India and the region extending about 1,500 km around India. It will provide an accurate real time position, navigation and time (PNT) services to users on a variety of platforms with 24x7 service availability under all weather conditions.

The 1,425 kg payload IRNSS provides two basic services of Standard Positioning Service for common civilian users and Restricted Service for special authorised users, says ISRO.

ISRO plans to have a constellation of seven satellites under IRNSS by 2014-15.

raja.simhan@thehindu.co.in

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