GSLV-F15/NVS-02 Mission:

 The ISRO has recently achieved its 100th successful launch from Sriharikota.

• About the GSLV-F15 Launch: 17th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

o 11th flight with Indigenous Cryogenic Stage.

o 8th operational flight of GSLV with Indigenous Cryogenic Stage.

• Features of NVS-02: Heavier and longer mission life than previous satellites.

o Indigenous atomic clock for better accuracy.

o Enabled with L1 frequency, commonly used in US GPS system, improving compatibility with personal trackers.

o Enhances reliability and accessibility of India’s navigation system for civilian and strategic applications.

o NVS-01, launched in May 2023, was the first second-gen NavIC satellite with India’s first indigenous atomic clock.

• About NavIC: Seven-satellite system providing location data over India and 1,500 km beyond.
• Global Navigation Systems: GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe), Beidou (China), and Japan’s QZSS augments GPS but is not independent.
• About ISRO: Established in 1969, but the first launch pad was set up only in 1993.

o Second launch pad was established in 2004, after a decade-long gap.

o Last 10 years witnessed unprecedented expansion in infrastructure and investment in the space sector.