Bangalore, July 10: India’s advanced communication satellite GSAT-10 was successfully launched Friday on board Ariane-5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana.GSAT-10, with a design life of 15 years, is expected to be operational by November and will augment telecommunications, Direct-To-Home and radio navigation services.
At 3,400 kg during lift-off, GSAT-10 is the heaviest satellite built by the Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). It was Isro’s 101st space mission.
Arianespace’s heavy lifting Ariane-5 ECA rocket launched GSAT-10 about 30 minutes after the blast-off from the European launch pad in South America at 2:48 am, prior to which it injected European co-passenger ASTRA 2F into orbit.
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.
It 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. PTI
