The country’s advanced communication satellite GSAT-10 that would augment telecommunication, direct-to-home broadcasting and radio navigation services was successfully launched early on Saturday on board Ariane-5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guyana, South America.
At the end of a smooth countdown lasting 11 and half hours, Ariane-5 ECA rocket injected GSAT-10 into an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), very close to the intended one, after a flight of 30 minutes and 45 seconds, Indian Space Research Organisation said.
At 3,400 kg at lift-off, GSAT-10 is the heaviest built by Bangalore-headquartered ISRO. 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.
“The satellite is in good health”, ISRO said after checks on various subsystems of the spacecraft, adding all its parameters were satisfactory. 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.
GSAT-10 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.