IRNSS-1H was the eighth in the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) series of satellites, after IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1F and IRNSS-1G. It was lost in the launch failure of PSLV-C39 on August 31, 2017.

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NavIC, is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services. It covers India and a region extending 1,500 km (930 mi) around it, with plans for further extension up to 3,000 km (1,900 mi). An extended service area lies between the primary service area and a rectangle area enclosed by the 30th parallel south to the 50th parallel north and the 30th meridian east to the 130th meridian east, 1,500–6,000 km (930–3,730 mi) beyond borders where some of the NavIC satellites are visible but the position is not always computable with assured accuracy. The system currently consists of a constellation of eight satellites, with two additional satellites on ground as stand-by.