Thu Jan 30 04:38:36 UTC 2025: ## ISRO Achieves Century Mark in Rocket Launches from Sriharikota
**Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh:** The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reached a significant milestone, successfully launching its 100th rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota. The GSLV-F15 rocket, launched at 6:23 AM on Wednesday from the second launch pad, deployed the 2,250 kg navigation satellite, NV-02, into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) 35,000 kilometers above Earth 19 minutes after liftoff.
This marks a major achievement for ISRO, 46 years after its first launch from SHAR in 1979. Including launches from other countries’ launchpads using American, French and Russian rockets, ISRO has now completed a total of 130 satellite missions. This is ISRO’s 17th GSLV mission and the 11th using a domestically produced cryogenic engine. It is also the first mission under the new ISRO chairman, V. Narayanan, who assumed his post on January 16th, and the first mission of the year for ISRO.
The NV-02 satellite is part of the NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system, providing navigation services within 1,500 kilometers of Indian territory. This is the second of five second-generation NV satellites, following the launch of NV-01 in 2023. NavIC offers GPS services with an accuracy of 20 meters. The NV-02 satellite carries navigation payloads, S and C bands, and will provide services over land and sea. Its applications include location-based services on mobile phones, orbit determination for satellites, IoT services, emergency and timing services, and weather information. A significant feature is the inclusion of a domestically produced rubidium atomic frequency standard, providing highly accurate timekeeping. The satellite is expected to provide service for 12 years. The GTO orbit ensures the satellite remains over a specific region of Earth, crucial for continuous communication and weather monitoring services.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan expressed his delight at the successful launch, highlighting this milestone in India’s space program. He stated that ISRO is now a world leader in rocket launches and aims to complete another 100 launches within the next five years. He also recounted ISRO’s journey, mentioning the first attempted launch in 1979, which unfortunately ended in failure. Since then, ISRO has launched a total of 548 satellites, including 433 foreign satellites.
First Piper 