India to launch 1st home-made navigation satellite

NEW DELHI - India will Monday night launch its first indigenous navigation satellite from the space port of Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, sources said.

"The satellite, IRNSS-1A, will be launched into space by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL). The state-owned Indian Space Research and Organization has created the satellite which weighs around 1,500 kg and will provide India terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation services. Its services can also be used for disaster management and defense purposes, if needed," the sources said.

The satellite, which has a life span of 10 years, is similar to the global positioning system (GPS) of the United States, the sources said.