'Desi' GPS system may soon become reality

ISRO, CSIR-NPL join hands

New Delhi: An indigenous Now 'desi' GPS may soon become reality as ISRO, CSIR-NPL join hands for services.

India's premiere space research organisation ISRO and the CSIR-NPL plan to launch a time and frequency traceability service, a media report said on Thursday, 03^rd August 2017.

The Indian Space Research Organisation and the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory were expected to sign an MoU on Friday for this indegenous system named as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

As per the plan, the desi GPS will formally get synchronised with the Indian Standard Time (IST) maintained by Delhi-based NPL - India's timekeeper, the report said.

Time synchronisation is key for a variety of purposes such as financial transactions, stock handling, digital archiving, time stamping, national security and prevention of cyber crimes, it said, adding, the move would help in making the indegenous system operational in the market for commercial purposes.

"We can't depend forever on the US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). After signing the MoU, the space clocks will be syncronized to that of the Primary National Atomic Clocks at National Physical Laboratory and therefore will have independence," TOI quoted NPL director Dinesh Aswal as saying.

"Though millisecond or microsecond accuracy is sufficient for day-to-day activities, the ISRO needs accuracy up to nanoseconds level for navigation, surveillance and other national missions," he added.

Citing MoS for space & atomic energy Jitendra Singh, the report however said the NavIC may take several years before it becomes operational in the market.

A constellation of seven satellites will comprise the NavIC, which will provide Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services in India and the adjoining region up to 1,500 km, the report said.

The NavIC will provide two types of services - Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS), it added.