Failure of Atomic Clock Cripples ISRO’s NavIC 

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• India’s indigenous navigation satellite system Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) has suffered a setback after the failure of the IRNSS-1F satellite due to malfunction of its last operational rubidium atomic clock.
  • The IRNSS-1F satellite was launched in 2016 by the Indian Space Research Organisation and has completed its 10-year design mission life.

About Atomic clock

• An Atomic Clock is a highly precise time-keeping device that measures time based on the natural vibration frequency of atoms, usually cesium or rubidium atoms.
• It is considered the most accurate time-keeping technology, capable of maintaining accuracy to nanoseconds (billionths of a second).
• Working Principle: 
  • Atoms vibrate at extremely stable and predictable frequencies when they change energy states.
  • The atomic clock measures this frequency and converts it into standard time signals.

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)

• Established by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NavIC is India’s autonomous regional navigation satellite system, designed to fulfill both civilian and military navigational needs. It was launched in 2013.
  • NavIC was erstwhile known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
• It provides precise Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services within India and extends up to 1,500 km beyond the country’s borders, forming its primary service area.
• NavIC is designed with a constellation of 7 satellites and a network of ground stations operating 24 x 7. 
  • Three satellites of the constellation are placed in geostationary orbit and four satellites are placed in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

• NavIC offers two services: Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users. 
  • It provides location accuracy better than 20 meters and timing accuracy better than 40 nanoseconds across the core service area.

Source: IE