Less than 48 hrs to ISRO’s first rocket launch of 2016! The Countdown has begun

India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a 48-hour countdown for IRNSS-1E launch, the first rocket launch of 2016.

ISRO said the countdown at Sriharikota was progressing smoothly and everything was in place.

"The countdown started yesterday morning. It is progressing smoothly. We are expecting to make the launch tomorrow at 9.31 AM. All things are in place," said ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar.

IRNSS-1E is the fifth navigation satellite in the IRNSS space system, comprising seven satellites, which would be on par with US-based GPS once the full complement of spacecraft is launched.

It has configuration similar to its predecessors IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and 1D and carries two types of payloads -- navigation and ranging payload.

The navigation payload will transmit navigation service signals to the users and operating in L5-band and S-band while the other consists of a C-band transponder that facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.

IRNSS-1E has a lift off mass of 1,425 kg and carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging and a highly accurate rubidium atomic clock (also part of the navigation payload of the satellite).