Q61 · UPSC Prelims 2018 · Set A · Current Affairs and GK

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With reference to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), consider the following statements:1.IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary and four satellites in geosynchronous orbits.2.IRNSS covers entire India and about 5500 sq. km beyond its borders.3.India will have its own satellite navigation system with full global coverage by the middle of 2019.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A 1 only
B 1 and 2 only
C 2 and 3 only
D None

Correct answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation

  1. A

    1 only

    (a) 1 only. IRNSS/NavIC was designed with three geostationary and four geosynchronous satellites, which is statement 1. Statement 2 is wrong: coverage is India plus about 1,500 km around it, not “5500 sq. km”. Statement 3 is wrong: the system is regional, not a global GNSS by mid-2019. Only 1 survives. This option is the official key.

  2. B

    1 and 2 only

    (b) 1 and 2 only. Statement 1 is true, but 5,500 sq. km is a unit-and-figure error (the published figure is ~1,500 km linear extent). This option is not the key.

  3. C

    2 and 3 only

    (c) 2 and 3 only. Both remaining statements fail: coverage figure and “full global coverage by 2019”. This option is not the key.

  4. D

    None

    (d) None. Statement 1 is correct, so “none” is false. This option is not the key.

Summary. Official key is (a) 1 only. NavIC’s space segment is three GEO plus four GSO satellites. It is a regional system covering India and roughly 1,500 km beyond, not 5,500 square kilometres and not worldwide by 2019. Statements 2 and 3 therefore drop. The surviving correct statement is 1, which is option (a).

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