Over a 12 months after the NVS-02 navigation satellite tv for pc failed to achieve its meant orbit, the Indian Area Analysis Organisation (Isro) has revealed what precipitated the mission setback and the corrective steps taken since then.
NVS-02, the second satellite tv for pc in India’s NVS navigation sequence, was launched efficiently on January 29, 2025 aboard the GSLV-F15 rocket. The spacecraft was positioned into an elliptical switch orbit measuring 170 km at its closest level to Earth and 37,785 km at its farthest.
The satellite tv for pc separated usually from the rocket, and preliminary operations, together with deployment of its photo voltaic panels and stabilising its orientation for energy era, have been accomplished with out situation.
Nonetheless, the following essential step, elevating the satellite tv for pc from its elongated elliptical path right into a round operational orbit, couldn’t be carried out.
Isro constituted an Apex Committee to research the anomaly. After reviewing telemetry knowledge (alerts despatched again by the satellite tv for pc about its well being and methods) and operating detailed simulations, the panel recognized the basis trigger.
In response to Isro, the issue occurred within the “pyro valve” system of the satellite tv for pc’s propulsion setup. A pyro valve is a small explosive-triggered gadget used to open gasoline traces in spacecraft engines. In easy phrases, it acts like a one-time change that enables propellant, on this case, oxidizer, a chemical that helps gasoline burn in house, to move into the engine for orbit-raising maneuvers.
The committee discovered that {the electrical} drive sign meant to set off the oxidizer-line pyro valve didn’t attain it.
The most certainly purpose was that at the least one electrical contact inside a connector turned disengaged in each the principle and backup circuits. As a result of the valve by no means opened, the engine couldn’t fireplace, stopping the spacecraft from shifting into its remaining orbit.
Isro mentioned the investigation led to a set of suggestions to enhance redundancy, that means having stronger backup methods, and enhance the reliability of pyro mechanisms in future missions.
These corrective measures have been carried out within the CMS-03 spacecraft, which was launched on November 2, 2025 aboard the LVM-3 M5. Isro confirmed that the pyro methods on CMS-03 functioned usually, and the satellite tv for pc was efficiently positioned into its meant orbit.
The house company acknowledged that the teachings discovered from NVS-02 shall be utilized to all future missions, reinforcing safeguards to stop related points. The disclosure marks a uncommon and detailed public rationalization of a technical anomaly, exhibiting Isro’s give attention to transparency and mission reliability.
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