ISRO's GSAT-18 successfully launches on board Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou today

Author yuvamind

NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched India’s GSAT-18 on board Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou in French Guiana, aims at providing telecommunications services for the country by strengthening ISRO ' s current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites.
The launch of the Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou was fixed to take place between 2 a.m. and 3.15 a.m. on Wednesday. The launch of the Ariane-5 rocket was 24 hours delayed due to heavy winds. Although, the rocket later took off between 2 a.m. and 3.15 a.m. from Kourou on 6 October 2016(Thursday). According to ISRO, GSAT-18 is the country ' s latest communication satellite with 48 transponders that receive and transmit communication signals. With the weather being clear today, the European launcher Ariane-5 VA-231 blasted off at around 2 AM (IST) and injected GSAT-18 shortly after orbiting co-passenger Sky Muster II satellite for Australian operator nbn (National Broadband Network) in a flawless flight lasting about 32 minutes. ISRO, which has been dependent on Ariane-5 rocket for carrying its heavier satellites, is developing GSLV Mk III for this purpose. Weighing 3,404 kg at lift-off, GSAT-18 carries 48 communication transponders to provide services in Normal C-band, Upper Extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum. Designed to provide continuity of services on operational satellites in these bands, GSAT-18 with a mission life of about 15 years, carries Ku-band beacon as well to help in accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite. With GSAT-18 ' s injection into GTO, ISRO ' s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka takes control of the satellite and will perform the initial orbit raising manoeuvres using the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) of the satellite, placing it in a circular Geostationary Orbit. GSAT-18s co-passenger Sky Muster II, built by SSL in Palo Alto, California, is targeted at bridging the digital divide, especially in the rural and isolated regions of Australia. "While GSAT 17 is a most important satellite for replacing our satellites, GSAT 11 will be the first generation of high- throughput satellite of ISRO. Both of these upcoming launches are crucial for the Indian Space Programme," he said.
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