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GSAT-12 placed in circular geosynchronous orbit


 

The GSAT-12 communication satellite, launched onboard PSLV-C17, has been successfully placed in geosynchronous orbit with a perigee of 35,684 km, apogee of 35,715 km and an orbital inclination of 0.17 deg with respect to the equatorial plane.

On July 15, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C17) injected GSAT-12 into an elliptical transfer orbit of 281 km perigee (closest point to Earth) and 21,027 km apogee (farthest point to earth), and orbital inclination of 17.9 deg.

Critical manoeuvres to raise GSAT-12 Satellite into geosynchronous orbit were performed by firing the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) of the spacecraft for about 80 minutes in five spells during July 16-20.

The communication antenna onboard the satellite was deployed successfully on Thursday at 15:30 hrs and the spacecraft is in its final orbital configuration, pointing towards earth, according to an ISRO statement.

GSAT-12 is now located at 63 deg East longitude. The satellite would be moved to reach its designated longitude of 83 degree East within the next 16 days (at the rate of one degree per day). The GSAT-12 would be co-located with INSAT-2E and INSAT-4A satellites, the space agency added.

After parking the satellite at this location, the communication transponders are planned to be switched on by August 5, followed by in-orbit testing.

"The GSAT-12 satellite is in good health and is in continuous radio-visibility from ISRO's Master Control Facility, Hassan," it was stated.


PSLV rocket launches communications satellite






Sriharikota:  Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Sriharikota have launched a new communications satellite using the smaller of their rockets, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

PSLV-C17, using the most powerful configuration of ISRO's workhorse launch vehicle, blasted off at 4.48 pm before hurling GSAT-12 into space about 20 minutes later.

"I am extremely happy to state that the PSVL-C17/GSAT12 mission is successful. The launch vehicle injected the satellite very precisely into the intended orbit," a jubilant ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan announced amid applause by the scientists at the mission control centre.

The transponders on the satellite, G-SAT12, will be used for education, telephone and telemedicine services. It weighs 1410 kgs and costs 80 crores.

"GSAT-12 would cater to tele-medicine and tele-education services and 'more importantly' provide support for disaster management," Mr Radhakrishnan said.

India is short of transponders, and today's mission, if successful, could add 12 C-band transponders. With today's GSAT-12, India will have 175 transponders - way behind the target of 500 by 2012 set by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to meet the booming demand in telecom, direct-to-home and V-SAT operations.

The PSLV, worth 90 crores, has established itself as a workhorse rocket - this is its 19th mission. It's considered complex and unique because it entails five special orbital manoeuvres. The PSLV has to ensure that the satellite is injected into the correct geo-synchronous orbit - that will take a few days.

Neither the satellite nor the rocket are insured.

Two more launches of the PSLV are expected later this year.

The PSLV is being used because the GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) is out of commission due to recent failures, including one in December which included a domestic communications satellite. Before that, the GSLV had failed in April 2010.


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