Aerospace Diary

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Press Release GSAT-10 satellite, ISRO’s 101st space mission, is ready to be launched from the Kourou launch base in French Guyana. GSAT-10, weighing 3400 kg at the lift off, is the heaviest that ISRO has built. GSAT-10 has been integrated with the Ariane-5 launch vehicle along with co-passenger communication satellite ASTRA-2F awaiting the launch scheduled at 0248 hrs on September 29, 2012 (IST). Necessary arrangements are being done for live telecast of the launch from Kourou Launch Base through Doordarshan. About 31 minutes after lift off, GSAT-10 would be injected in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee of 250 km and an apogee of about 36,000 km. From there, the satellite would be moved to Geostationary Orbit (circular 36,000 km above equator) by using the satellite propulsion system in a three step approach. After this, the solar panels and antennas would be deployed. In the next few weeks, the payload would be turned on to perform a series o...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews July 15, 2011 GSAT-12 communication satellite, was today launched from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch of PSLV - C17 was the eighteenth successive successful flight of PSLV. The preliminary flight data indicates that all major flight events involving stage ignition and burnouts, performance of solid and liquid stages, indigenously developed advanced mission computers and telemetry systems have performed well, says ISRO. ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC)'s ground station at Biak, Indonesia acquired the signals from GSAT-12 immediately after the injection of the satellite. The solar panels of the satellite were deployed automatically. Initial checks on the satellite have indicated normal health of the satellite.

Posted By- Neelam Mathews June 30, 2011 Preparations for the launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C17) targeted for July 15, carrying India's communication satellite GSAT-12 are progressing at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, says ISRO. GSAT-12 Communication satellite with a mass of 1410 kg at lift-off, has 12  Extended  C-band transponders. PSLV-C17 will inject GSAT-12 into an  elliptical Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO) of 284 km perigee and 21,000 km apogee. Subsequently, the Liquid Apogee Motor of the satellite will be  used to raise both apogee and perigee of the Satellite to place it in a  circular orbit of 36,000 km altitude. All the four stages of the launch vehicle have been fully assembled at the  Vehicle Assembly Building at Shriharikota. Presently, the vehicle is going  through various levels of electrical checkout operations and reviews. GSAT-12 satellite has already undergone necessary testing at Shriharikota  befo...