ISRO successfully launches GSAT-7A military satellite, known as Indian Angry Bird, from Sriharikota

Adding another feather in its cap, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched the country’s 35th communication satellite GSAT-7A onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F11 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. GSAT-7A, built by ISRO, will provide communication capability to users in Ku-band over the Indian region, the space agency said in a release.

Being touted as the "Indian Angry Bird", the communication satellite will be the 17th and last launch of the Indian space agency for the year 2018. The much anticipated GSAT-7A will play a key role in the defence sector, connecting all the Indian Air Force assets like planes, airborne early warning control platforms, drones and ground stations with a centralised network. The satellite will also work as a force multiplier and form the band of a communications satellite for use of Indian military.

Read | ISRO's communication satellite GSAT-7A to give more power to armed forces, enhance Internet speed

Apart from GSAT-7A, India has a battery of earth-imaging CartoSAT series of satellites and a RadarSAT and a Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite that provide inputs to secure our borders. Also, the Indian Navy has a satellite the GSAT-7, also called Rukmini, which was launched in 2013.

All you need to know about GSAT-7A:

#ISRO: #GSLVF11 successfully launches #GSAT7A into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, reports ANI

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— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 19, 2018

Following its recent GSAT-11 launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on December 5 also extended his best wishes to the space agency, saying that "A major milestone for our space programme, which will transform the lives of crores of Indians by connecting remote areas!". 

A major milestone for our space programme, which will transform the lives of crores of Indians by connecting remote areas!

Congrats to @isro for the successful launch of GSAT-11, which is the heaviest, largest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite of India.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2018

Read | 5 things to know about ISRO's GSAT-7A communication satellite

"India is proud of our scientists, who keep innovating and setting high standards of scale, achievements and success. Their remarkable work inspires every Indian. @isro," Modi wrote in another tweet.

Here are the Highlights: