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GSAT-10 successfully launched
GSAT-10 will be available for user communication by Nov 2012.
GSAT 10 has finally launched successfully at its scheduled time 2:48 am IST.
It has to be raised to 36,000 km in the sky. It will take some days for the satellite to actually reach its scheduled orbit and point to 83E. As confirmed by ISRO scientist,
Ariane-5 ECA launcher successfully deployed two communications satellites, ASTRA 2F and GSAT 10, into geostationary transfer orbit from European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane-5 was boosted from ELA-3 zone at 21:18 UTC. Combined launch mass of satellites was more than 9400 kgs.
ASTRA 2F built by EADS Astrium, was released 27 minutes after liftoff. Loaded with 64 Ku and 4 Ka transponders, ASTRA 2F will be placed at 28.2 degrees East in order to meet television demand throughout United Kingdom. Ka-band transponders on ASTRA 2F will provide high- speed internet connections up to 10 mbits for rural areas in Europe.
3 minutes later, second passenger of tonight mission, GSAT 10 was separated from upper stage of the rocket. GSAT 10 is carrying 18 C and 12 Ku transponders for broadcast applications over India. The satellite also consists GAGAN payload for navigational uses. GSAT 10 will be located at 83 degrees East longitude.
The country's advanced communicationsatellite GSAT-10 was successfully launched early on Saturday on board Ariane-5 rocket from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana. GSAT-10, with a design life of 15 years is expected to be operational by November and will augment telecommunication, Direct-To-Home and radio navigation services. At 3,400 kg at lift-off, GSAT-10 is the heaviest built by Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation. It was ISRO's 101st space mission. Arianespace's heavy lifting Ariane-5 ECA rocket launched GSAT-10 about 30 minutes after the blast off from the European launch pad in South America at 2.48 am, prior to which it injected European co-passenger ASTRA 2F into orbit. GSAT-10 is fitted with 30 transponders (12 Ku-band, 12 C-band and six Extended C-Band), which will provide vital augmentation to INSAT/GSAT transponder capacity. It also has a navigation payload - GAGAN (GPS aided Geo Augmented Navigation) - that would provide improved accuracy of GPS signals (of better than seven metres) to be used by Airports Authority of India for civil aviation requirements. This is the second satellite in INSAT/GSAT constellation with GAGAN payload after GSAT-8, launched in May 2011. GSAT-10 was originally scheduled for a September 22 launch, but was deferred after scientists detected a small glitch - one gram of dust - in the upper part of the rocket. GSAT-10 project director TK Anuradha, additional secretary of Department of Space, S Srinivasan and director of ISRO Satellite Centre SK Shivakumar were among key ISRO officials who were in French Guiana for the launch, telecast live by Doordarshan. Shivakumar said GSAT-10 would give an impetus to the 'communication revolution' in India. ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan was at space agency's Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka at the launch, ISRO sources said. "The MCF has already taken command and control of the heavy satellite", he said minutes after the launch. "By November 2012, we expect to operationalise GSAT-10 and make it available to the user community," added Radhakrishnan, also Secretary, Department of Space and Space Commission Chairman. ISRO said GSAT-10 project is a Rs. 750 crore mission that includes the cost of satellite, launch services by the European space consortium Arianespace and insurance. Arianespace chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said at the launch base that ISRO is a highly loyal customer, as the collaboration with it began more than 30 years ago with its Apple satellite's orbiting by the third flight of an Ariane vehicle - an Ariane 1 version launched in June 1981.Ariane-5 ECA launcher successfully deployed two communications satellites, ASTRA 2F and GSAT 10, into geostationary transfer orbit from European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane-5 was boosted from ELA-3 zone at 21:18 UTC. Combined launch mass of satellites was more than 9400 kgs.
ASTRA 2F built by EADS Astrium, was released 27 minutes after liftoff. Loaded with 64 Ku and 4 Ka transponders, ASTRA 2F will be placed at 28.2 degrees East in order to meet television demand throughout United Kingdom. Ka-band transponders on ASTRA 2F will provide high- speed internet connections up to 10 mbits for rural areas in Europe.
3 minutes later, second passenger of tonight mission, GSAT 10 was separated from upper stage of the rocket. GSAT 10 is carrying 18 C and 12 Ku transponders for broadcast applications over India. The satellite also consists GAGAN payload for navigational uses. GSAT 10 will be located at 83 degrees East longitude.
