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
India’s navigation satellite system suffers major setback: 1 of 4 operational IRNSS satellites fails India’s indigenous navigation satellite system—Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)—has faced a significant challenge as one of its four operational satellites, IRNSS 1-F, reported a failure after 10 years of service. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) officials, the satellite, launched in March 2016, ceased functioning due to a malfunction in its last remaining atomic clock. The failure marks another setback for the system, which relies on a minimum of four fully operational satellites to provide navigation services to the public and government agencies, including railways and the military. The IRNSS 1-F satellite, part of the NavIC constellation, was operating with only one of its three onboard atomic clocks until its last functional clock failed. ISRO stated that the satellite will continue to provide one-way broadcast messaging services in orbit, though its ability to support positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) functions is now compromised. The failure brings the total number of failed satellites in the NavIC system to six, with atomic clock malfunctions cited as the primary cause for the initial failures. ISRO’s official statement noted that the IRNSS 1-F satellite completed its design mission life of 10 years on March 10, 2026, and that the atomic clock stopped functioning on March 13, 2026. The agency emphasized that the satellite will remain in orbit to support societal applications, though its role in PNT services is now limited. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining the reliability of the NavIC system, which was conceived to provide an independent navigation capability for India.#isro #indian_space_research_organisation #navic #irnss_1_f #atomic_clock
India's desi-GPS NAVIC is defunct; strategic capability lost India's indigenous satellite navigation system, NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), has effectively become non-functional, according to publicly available data. The system, designed to provide Position, Navigation, and Timing services for civilian and military users within India and 1,500 km beyond its borders, relies on a fleet of satellites managed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Currently, only three of the 11 NAVIC satellites are operational, but even these face imminent failure. One of the three satellites has already exceeded its expected lifespan, and the remaining two are at risk of malfunctioning at any moment. The decline of NAVIC began with the IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System), its first-generation satellite series. Launched between 2013 and 2018, the IRNSS satellites were intended to form the foundation of NAVIC. However, the system faced critical failures from the outset. ISRO admitted that five of the eight satellites launched in this series suffered complete failure of their onboard atomic clocks, which are essential for precise navigation. These failures rendered the satellites inoperable, leaving only three satellites—IRNSS-1B, 1F, and 1I—functioning. Despite initial optimism, the operational lifespan of these satellites has been short-lived. IRNSS-1B, launched in 2012, has exceeded its 10-year design life and is now in its 11th year. IRNSS-1F, launched in 2017, had two atomic clocks fail earlier this year, and its final clock stopped working in March 2026. IRNSS-1I, launched in 2018, is expected to remain operational until 2028, but its status remains uncertain.#indian_space_research_organisation #navic #irnss #nv_s #kargil_war
