India to launch fourth navigation satellite March 9

Chennai, March 2: India will move closer to its own satellite navigation system with the launch of its fourth satellite tentatively slated for March 9, a senior official of the Indian space agency said on Monday. "The launch is tentatively planned for March 9 evening around 6.35 p.m. However final green signal for the launch will be given days ahead of the satellite launch," M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, part of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He said the satellite has been tested and mated with the rocket and the heat shield will be closed Monday. "Full test will be done again Tuesday and the rocket will be moved to the second launch pad on March 4," Prasad said. According to him, the space agency's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) has to give the final nod for the rocket's flight. The LAB meeting is slated for March 6. The 59 hour countdown is expected to begin on March 7 morning. Weighing 1,425 kg, the fourth of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellite-IRNSS-1D would be flown into space in an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL.