NavIC loses last working satellite: What it means for India India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, NavIC, has suffered a significant setback after the last operational satellite, IRNSS-1F, ceased functioning on March 13, 2026, due to a failure in its atomic clock. This leaves the system with only three satellites—IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1L, and NVS-01—currently active. The reduction in operational satellites raises concerns, as the system requires a minimum of four satellites to provide reliable coverage across India and its neighboring regions. The failure of IRNSS-1F marks the end of the original constellation of seven satellites launched as part of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). While the remaining satellites continue to function, their limited numbers may compromise the system’s ability to deliver accurate positioning, navigation, and timing services. This is particularly critical for applications that rely on NavIC, such as real-time train tracking, which supports thousands of trains across the country, and precise timing services used in sectors like finance, telecommunications, and power grids. The reliability of NavIC has been further tested by past incidents involving satellite clock failures, which led to significant errors in positioning data. These issues have sparked worries about the system’s long-term stability, especially as the planned replacement satellites—NVS-03, NVS-04, and NVS-05—were initially scheduled to be launched by the end of 2025 and at six-month intervals thereafter. However, these timelines have not been met, and no confirmed launch dates for the new satellites have been announced.#india #navic #irnss1f #irnss1b #irnss1l
