GSLV launches South Asia satellite GSAT-9

India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) successfully launched the 2,230 kg South Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) into its planned Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

South Asia Satellite is a communication satellite built by ISRO to provide a variety of communication services over the South Asian region. The satellite, which weighs over 2 tonnes, has been fabricated in three years at a cost of over Rs. 230 crore and its footprint extends all over South Asia.

The South Asia Satellite has 12 Ku band transponders which India's neighbours can utilise to increase communications. Each country will get access to at least one transponder through which they could beam their own programming. The satellite will facilitate DTH television, VSAT links, tele-education, telemedicine and disaster management support. It will provide critical communication links in times of disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and tsunamis.

The launch of GSLV took place from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, the spaceport of India. In its oval shaped GTO, the South Asia Satellite is now orbiting the Earth with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 169 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 36,105 km with an orbital inclination of 20.65 deg with respect to the equator.

The major phases of the flight occurred as scheduled. About seventeen minutes after lift-off, South Asia Satellite was successfully placed in GTO. Soon after separation from GSLV, the two solar arrays of the satellite were automatically deployed in quick succession and the Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka assumed control of the satellite.

Following the successful launch, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO and remarked that today was a historic day for South Asia and a day without precedence.

The Prime Minister recalled that two years ago India made a promise to extend the advanced space technology for the cause of growth and prosperity of the people of South Asia and felt that the successful launch of South Asia Satellite today marks a fulfillment of that.

In the coming days, the satellite orbit will be raised from its present GTO to the final circular Geostationary Orbit (GSO) by firing the satellite's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) in stages. The South Asia Satellite will be commissioned into service after the completion of orbit raising operations and the satellite’s positioning in its designated slot in the GSO following in-orbit testing of its payloads.