Article Title: India’s satellite-based navigation system, NavIC, is as good as GPS of the USA
05-08-2022
Science & Technology Prelims Plus
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) or NavIC is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services.
It covers India and a region extending 1,500 km (930 mi) around it, with plans for further extension.
It is an indigenously developed satellite navigation system was conceptualized to cater to requirements of critical national applications, including those of defence and commercial establishments.
NavIC can help in navigation on land, air, sea and also in disaster management.
NavIC satellites are placed at a higher orbit than the GPS of United States.
NavIC satellites are placed in geostationary orbit (GEO) & geosynchronous orbit (GSO) with an altitude of about 36,000 km; GPS satellites are placed in medium earth orbit (MEO) with an altitude of about 20,000 km.
Global Navigation Satellite Systems - The four global GNSS systems are – GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China). Additionally, there are two regional systems – QZSS (Japan) and IRNSS or NavIC (India).
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