PTI, SRIHARIKOTA: India on Wednesday successfully launched its latest advanced satellite that will give a big boost to the strategic communication and networking capabilities of the Indian Air Force(IAF).
In a launch that came with many firsts, the 2,250 kg geo-stationary satellite GSAT-7A built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provides for a secure mode of communication and will be for the exclusive use of the IAF.
Dubbed as “Angry Bird”, the satellite is expected to enable the force to interlink different ground radar stations, ground airbase and Airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft.
After a 26-hour countdown, ISRO’s rocket GSLV-F11 carrying the satellite lifted off at 4.10 pm from the second launch pad at Sriharikota, about 110 km from Chennai.
Around 19 minutes after the lift-off, the geosynchronous launch vehicle injected the satellite into the intended orbit. It will be placed in its final geostationary orbit using the onboard propulsion systems.
According to ISRO, the satellite would take a few days after separation from the launcher to reach its orbital slot.
ISRO scientists broke into cheers after the satellite was placed into the designated orbit.
According to the space agency officials, the advanced communication satellite would facilitate exclusive frequency flight communication for the IAF.
“The launch is a tremendous jump in our networking capabilities. It will be very beneficial to our communication network,” IAF chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa told reporters in Jodhpur.
The mission life of the GSAT-7A is eight years. It will provide communication in Ku-band over the Indian region.
From the Mission Control Centre, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the “successful and safe” launch was the third one in 35 days and came close on the heels of the “grand success” of two missions in November.
The GSLV-F11 successfully injected the “advanced” communication GSAT-7A into orbit, an elated Sivan said, describing the mission as “wonderful.”
This was the heaviest satellite lifted by the GSLV with indigenous cryogenic stage, he added.
The mission came with many firsts, including increased propellant loading and other features, the ISRO chief said.
The “cryogenic stage is burnt to depletion to get a super synchronous transfer orbit to enhance the life of the satellite,” he said.
The satellite also came with new technology regarding the antenna to improve the performance, Sivan said.
Its solar panels have been deployed and orbit raising manoeuvres will be done from Thursday morning from Bengaluru, he said.
Wednesday’s mission also gave the scientists some anxious moments “as the weather god was not very conducive some one week back,” Sivan noted.
However, the meteorological team here gave correct predictions, he said and congratulated the ISRO team members behind the successful launch, the last for this calendar year.
“This is the last mission of this year. We are going to initiate the new year with a grand mission soon,” he said.
Sivan said the new year would see ISRO taking up challenging launches, including the Chandrayaan-2 moon mission.
The GSLV-F11 is the ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle with three stages.
