Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) encountered a setback in its mission to place the NVS-02 satellite into the desired orbit after the spacecraft’s thrusters failed to activate, the officials confirmed.
Launched on January 29 aboard the GSLV-Mk 2 rocket — marking ISRO’s 100th launch from the Sriharikota spaceport — the NVS-02 satellite is a crucial component of India’s space-based navigation system. However, the satellite is currently in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), which is not ideal for its intended navigational functions.
Despite the thruster issue, ISRO stated that the satellite’s systems remain healthy, and the spacecraft is continuing to orbit the Earth. The space agency is now working on alternate strategies to use the satellite in its current orbit for navigation purposes.
After the GSLV rocket successfully placed the satellite into orbit with high precision, the satellite’s solar panels deployed successfully, and power generation has been reported as nominal. Communication with the ground station has also been established, confirming the satellite’s operational status.
While the launch was overall successful, ISRO’s focus now shifts to resolving the thruster malfunction and exploring alternative approaches to ensure the NVS-02 satellite fulfills its mission.
