India launches 5th navigation satellite on board PSLV C31

India successfully launched its fifth navigation satellite IRNSS-1E on-board the workhorse PSLV-C31 here on Wednesday, taking another step to be on par with US-based Global Positioning System (GPS). 

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C 31 blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) here, 110 km from Chennai at 9.31 am and released the satellite into the orbit 19 minutes and 20 seconds later.

As the rocket soared into the sky at the end of the 48-hour countdown, four stages of PSLV executed their functions as programmed, to the joy of ISRO scientists at the mission control centre.

After the satellite's injection into geo synchronous transfer orbit (GTO), the two solar panels of IRNSS-1E will be automatically deployed in quick succession. The Master Control Facility in Hassan (Karnataka) would then take control of the satellite to perform orbit raising operations.

IRNSS-1E is the fifth navigation satellite in the IRNSS space system, comprising seven satellites. While four satellites would be sufficient to start operations of the IRNSS system, the remaining three would make it more "accurate and efficient".

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have congratulated the ISRO for the successful launch of IRNSS-1E.