Isro 2 steps away from operationalising South Asia satellite

Chethan Kumar / TNN / Updated: May 07, 2017, 19:07 IST

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Only the final orbit raising and deployment of the two antennas now remain. Once the antennas are deployed, Isro will nudge the spacecraft into the final orbit, which is called the final orbital configuration, from where the satellite will observe the earth.

Isro 2 steps away from operationalising South Asia satellite

Isro's communication satellite GSAT-9 on-board GSLV-F09 lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on Friday (PTI photo)

BENGALURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which has completed two orbit raising maneuvers of the South Asia Satellite, is just two more steps away from making it operational.Isro successfully launched the Geostationary Communication Satellite-9 (GSAT-9), or, the South Asia Satellite on Friday, marking a new era in space diplomacy.On Sunday, the space agency said that it completed the first orbit raising operation by firing the LAM engine for 2,643 seconds at 3.51am on Saturday. Following this, at 9.30am on Sunday, the second orbit raising operation was carried out by firing the engine for 3,529.7 seconds.“With the two operations complete, we are now left with the final orbit raising and deployment of the two antennas,” a senior Isro official said.Once the antennas are deployed, Isro will nudge the spacecraft into the final orbit, which is called the final orbital configuration, from where the satellite will observe the earth. The Rs 450 crore satellite, is India’s 'gift' to South Asian countries, and is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'neighbourhood first' policy.The 12 transponders in the Ku band that the satellite is carrying, will provide a host of applications and services: Television, Direct-to-Home (DTH), tele-education, telemedicine, Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) and disaster management support, besides giving India a secure hotline with the countries that can be used during disaster management and other emergencies.

About the AuthorChethan Kumar

Chethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.

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