ISRO GSAT-11, India's heaviest communication satellite to take off on Dec 5
New Delhi : The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO) confirms that the country's heaviest communication satellite with high throughput GSAT-11 will be launched into orbit by Ariane-5 rocket of Arianespace from French Guiana on December 5, 2018.
According to ISRO, the GSAT-11 weighing 5,854 kg is the heaviest satellite built by it. The satellite will be launched on board Ariane-5 launch vehicle from French Guiana. It will be initially placed in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit and will subsequently be raised to geostationary orbit by firing the satellite's on-board motor.
According to ISRO, GSAT-11 is the forerunner in a series of advanced communications satellites with multi-spot beam antenna coverage over Indian mainland and islands.
A source close to the development confirms that the satellite is built with a mission life of 15 years will have 32 user beams (Ku band) and eight hub beams (Ka band) and the throughput data rate of 16 Gbps.
It is expected that GSAT-11 will play an important role in providing broadband services across the country. It will also provide a platform to demonstrate new generation applications.
The Indian space agency said the GSAT-11 will be used to meet the increased data demands with high data rates over regions using spot beams.
The satellite will support BharatNet connecting gram panchayat for e-governance and digital platforms; VSAT terminals and for enterprise network and consumer broadband applications.
Earlier in April, this year, ISRO had recalled GSAT-11 from Arianespace's rocket port in French Guiana for further tests, to be on the safe side.
"We are bringing back the GSAT-11 satellite to carry out some tests to be doubly sure of its performance orbiting in the space. There is nothing more to it," K Sivan, Chairman ISRO had told IANS then.
The GSAT-11 was planned to be launched mid-May. The satellite had reached Arianespace's rocket port in March 2018.
However, ISRO called back GSAT-11 for further tests and be doubly sure of its performance may be due to the loss of the recently launched GSAT-6A satellite, soon after it was put into orbit on March 29.
ISRO suspected the failure of the power system in the satellite for the loss of communication link.
"The satellites are powered by solar panels that charge the onboard batteries. The batteries are fully charged when the satellite is loaded on to the rocket.
"Even if there is a problem with the solar panel, then the battery power should have kicked in. Here the entire power system of the satellite seems to have failed," one space expert told had IANS earlier.
