By IANS,
Chennai : India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-10 will be launched from the Kourou space centre in French Guiana by Ariane-5 rocket Sep 29, ISRO said in a statement Monday.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said GSAT-10 with 30 communication transponders – automatic receivers and transmitters for communication and broadcast of signals- is the heaviest satellite (3,400 kg) built by it.
The rocket will be launched at 0248 hours Sep 29.
According to ISRO, the GSAT-10 will be injected in geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) by the Ariane rocket around 31 minutes after the lift-off. From there, the satellite will be moved to geostationary orbit (GSO) at 36,000 km above the equator.
After the conduct of several tests, GSAT-10 is expected to be operational by November this year and will have a life span of around 15 years.
The GSAT-10 also carries a navigation payload ‘GAGAN’ to provide improved accuracy of global positioning satellite (GPS) signal for the Airports Authority of India for civil aviation needs.
This is the second satellite in the INSAT/GSAT constellation with GAGAN payload after GSAT-8, launched in May 2011, ISRO said.
The Indian space agency has a total of 168 transponders under its INSAT/GSAT satellite series. It has also taken on lease 94 transponders from foreign satellites.