Indigenous clocks delay isro’s plans to replace defunct navic satellites

Officials at the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) Say they are looking to launch at least three satellites before 2026-end, to replace defect satellites that are part of the ‘Indian GPS’ or Navigan GPS ‘or Navigation White Indian constellation) system. However, there seems to be a key element imped the launch – the development of indigenous clocks.

These high-recovery clocks-Now proposed at five per satellite-are what provides accurate timing (and hence location) services to users on Earth. The Navic Satellites Provide more accurate location services to the Military and Slightly Less Accure ons for Civilian purposes.

Nine satellites of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), informally called navic, han launched since 2013. The last of this constellation of satellites (irns-1i) was launched in 2018. Provide location services. However, the navic, is expected to do so only within India and a radius of 1,500 km. This is howyver viewed more as a fall back system in the case of future global conflicts and India being dented access to these foreign constellations.

Last month, the isro revised via a right to information request that five of the navic satellites were completely defeated. In one of the three satellites with functioning atomic clocks, two of the three clocks have failed. Only two satellites of the constellation, therefore, have functional atomic clocks. The atomic clocks in this constellation of satellites was important by the isro from the firm spectratime.

For the next series of satellites to replace the impaired and aging fleet of irns satellites – to the three being used has been passed or closed to their rated shelf life of 10 years third These Systems to Function Beyond – The isro has decided to install indigenously developed rubidium clocks.

“Each satellite will have five clocks though we are still in the process of development them,” Nilesh desai, director, space applications centers, a key part of the isro, told The Hindu on the sidelines of a conclave in delhi to commemorate national space day on saturday.

Another Official Familiar with the isro said that whiles the rubidium clocks are based on an indigenous design, there was key key components that Needed to be imported and this was contributing to procedes challenges and delays in commissioning.

So far, to replace its decrepit fleet of irns satellites, isro has launched two satellites nvs-01 in May 2023 and nvs-02 in January 2025. is working as intended, with nvs-02 failing to reach the specific orbit required to function as a navigational satellite.

By 2040, India is aiming to launch at least a 100 satellites, several of them to provide earth imaging and communication services for both government and private sector applications.