New Delhi:
The launch of India's latest communication satellite with 48 transponders that receive and transmit communication signals has been launched on October 6 from Kourou in French Guiana. “The launch was postponed by one day due to heavy cross winds,” a senior ISRO official said late on Tuesday night.
The Indian satellite GSAT-18 was launched at 2am on October 6, 24 hours after its initial launch time. The 3,404 kg Indian satellite GSAT-18 will be providing services in normal C-band, upper extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum.
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The launch of the Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou (French Guiana) was scheduled to take place between 2 a.m. and 3.15 a.m. (India Time) on Wednesday. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
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The ISRO chief, who watched the launch from the mission control centre, left shortly after lift-off, and his message was read out later by one of his senior colleagues. ISRO said in the coming days, orbit raising manoeuvres will be performed to place GSAT-18 satellite in the Geostationary Orbit (36,000 km above the equator) by using the satellite's propulsion system in steps.
Two solar arrays and both the antenna reflectors of GSAT-18 will be deployed after the orbit raising, it said, adding, the satellite will be positioned at 74 deg East longitude in the geostationary orbit and will be co-located with the Indian operational geostationary satellites.
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