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With this successful Mars Orbit Insertion operation, ISRO became the fourth
space agency to successfully send a spacecraft to Mars orbit. In the coming
weeks, the spacecraft will be thoroughly tested in the Mars orbit and the
systematic observation of that planet using its five scientific instruments
would begin.
After injection, the solar panels of IRNSS-1C were deployed automatically.
ISRO`s Master Control Facility (at Hassan, Karnataka) assumed the control of
the satellite. In the coming days, four orbit manoeuvres will be conducted from
Master Control Facility to position the satellite in the Geostationary Orbit at
83 deg East longitude.
IRNSS-1C is the third of the seven satellites constituting the space segment of
the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B, the
first two satellites of the constellation, were successfully launched by PSLV
on July 02, 2013 and April 04, 2014 respectively. Both IRNSS-1A and 1B are
functioning satisfactorily from their designated geosynchronous orbital
positions.
A number of ground stations responsible for the generation and transmission of
navigation parameters, satellite control, satellite ranging and monitoring,
etc., have been established in as many as 15 locations across the country.
The fellowship provides an opportunity every year to one meritorious graduating
student from the Aerospace Department of the Indian Institute of Space Science
and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram to be sponsored by the Department of Space,
to pursue Masters in Aerospace Engineering at Caltech.