On Monday night, July 1, India will hurtle into space its first ever dedicated navigation satellite IRNSS-1A, on board PSLV-C22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

One of seven satellites forming part of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) space segment, the satellite will provide real-time position and timing information to users in the country and the surrounding 1,500 km radius, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Sunday.

India Hurtles Into Space Own Navigational Satellite, First of Seven Pieces

It has a life span of 10 years.

The IRNSS will provide users two types of services, a standard positioning service that can be used by all users, and a restricted, encrypted service allowed only for authorised users.

After the launch of the navigational satellite, ISRO plans to launch its communication satellite G-Sat 14 in August 2013. It will use a heavier rocket - the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - powered by a domestic cryogenic engine.

Preparatory work for the G-Sat 14 launch is going ahead at the rocket launch pad in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

Started nine years ago, the IRNSS project limited its goal of domestic coverage, claiming only seven satellites are needed compared with the GPS's 24 satellites.

The entire IRNSS system is scheduled to completed by 2015 at a total cost of 14.2 billion rupees (US$239 million). The remaining six satellites will be completed every six months.

"IRNSS-1A will be working as main earth centre and will extend its navigation services like passing latest information to the customers of ISRO through highly sophisticated autumn watches established in the navigation centre. It also useful to rescue victims during natural calamities by passing accurate information to the vehicles, ships, aeroplanes and navigates the directions to the pilots over the exact place of flying aeroplane," The New Indian Express quoted an unidentified official.

The IRNSS-1A will be placed in the orbit at a distance of 36,000 km from the earth..