ISRO, Bhopal, gets down to tracking IRNSS-1C satellite

BHOPAL: There was palpable silence and taut nerves at ISRO's master control facility at Ayodhya Nagar, Bhopal, as India's workhorse satellite launch vehicle, PSLV blasted off from Sriharikota on Thursday, carrying the third series of the navigation satellite (IRNSS-1C). Scientists were glued to their systems, monitoring the trajectory and health of the launch vehicle, before they burst into joy as the mission went off with precision and they began receiving the first signal.
Twenty minutes after the launch, the satellite was positioned in a pre-determined orbit and master control facility (MCF), Bhopal, got down to tracking the satellite. MCF Bhopal is buzzing with activity round the clock.
ISRO unit in the state capital is only the second master control facility after Hassan in Karnataka and is now a part of the success story aimed at taking the country closer to having its own navigation system at par with Global Positioning System of the US.
Speaking to TOI on phone, Deviprasad Karnik, director, P&PRU, ISRO, Bangalore, said, "MCF-Bhopal facility is currently managing round-the-clock operations of two spacecraft in close coordination with MCF-Hassan. The centre completed its seventh year of successful operation. It is configured with a 1m full motion antenna and four 7.2m limited motion antennae, a satellite control centre and a power complex." IRNSS-1C is part of the series of seven satellites, ISRO is planning to launch to put in place what is called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System.
Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka and Bhopal monitors and control all geostationary satellites of ISRO, namely, INSAT, GSAT and Kalpana series of satellites, ISRO sources said.
MCF is responsible for orbit-raising of satellites, in-orbit payload testing, and on-orbit operations all through the life of these satellites, said Karnik.
MCF activities include round-the-clock tracking, telemetry and commanding (TT&C) operations, and special operations like eclipse management, station-keeping manoeuvres and recovery actions in case of contingencies. MCF interacts with user agencies for effective utilization of satellite payloads and to minimize the service disturbances during special operations.
ISRO's master control facility at Bhopal currently controls all on-orbit satellites, namely, INSAT-3C, 3A, 3E, 4A, 4B, 4CR, Kalpana-1, GSAT-8, GSAT-12, GSAT-10, IRNSS-1A/1B/1C, INSAT-3D and GSAT-14.