Accomplishing success in space! ISRO all set to launch GSAT-7A communication satellite on Dec 19

Chennai, December 12: The Indian Space Research Organization has performed exceptionally well in the year 2018 with accomplishing major success. In a record with seventh mission in 2018, the ISRO is all set to launch its operational communication satellite GSAT-7A using GSLV-F11 from the spaceport of Sriharikota on December 19.

 

The operational communication satellite which is all set to launch weighs around 2,250 kg. In its 13th flight, the 50 m tall GSLV-F11 will lift off from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR Range, Sriharikota, and inject GSAT-7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite will be placed in its final Geostationary Orbit (GEO) using the onboard propulsion system.

 

GSAT-7A was the 35th Indian Communication satellite built by the ISRO. It was configured on ISRO’s standard I-2000 Kg (I-2K) Bus. With a mission life of eight years, the Satellite is built to provide communication capability to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region. The bus capabilities were fully exploited with respect to accommodation, power generation, thermal management, etc.

Most of the functional requirements of the communication payloads and the bus platform systems have been derived from ISRO’s earlier geostationary satellites INSATs and GSATs. GSAT-7A, configured as the payload for GSLV MK-II flight F11, incorporates chemical propulsion system to provide an operational mission life of a minimum of eight years. Chemical propulsion will be used for orbit raising as well as for on orbit attitude correction operations. Sufficient redundancy was built into the Spacecraft for continued service.

This is the seventh flight of the GSLV with indigenous cryo stage and the third GSLV mission this year.GSLV F11 is ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle with three stages. The four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor at the core form the first stage. The second stage was equipped with high thrust engine using liquid fuel.

The Cryogenic Upper Stage forms the third and final stage of the vehicle.