India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) in the ear;y hours of Friday from the Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251.
The European rocket Arianespace launched the GSAT-30 satellite for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Eutelsat Konnect satellite for the French telecommunications company Eutelsat.
#Ariane5 Flight #VA251 carrying #GSAT30 and EUTELSAT KONNECT successfully liftoff pic.twitter.com/PLRiMgidPw
— ISRO (@isro) January 16, 2020
After a flight lasting 38 minutes 25 seconds, the GSAT-30 separated from the Ariane-5 upper stage in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
Weighing 3357 kg, GSAT-30 will serve as a replacement to ISRO’s INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced coverage.
“GSAT-30 has a unique configuration of providing flexible frequency segments and flexible coverage. The satellite will provide communication services to Indian mainland and islands through Ku-band and wide coverage covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia through C-band” ISRO Chairman K Sivan said.
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The GSAT-30 will provide DTH television services, connectivity to VSATs for ATM, stock-exchange, Television uplinking and Teleport Services, Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) and e-governance applications.
“The satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications,” the ISRO chairman said.
ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka took over the command and control of GSAT-30 immediately after its separation from the launch vehicle and preliminary health checks of the satellite revealed its normal health.
Meanwhile Eutelsat Konnect, a new generation satellite will provide telecommunication services across Europe and Africa.
(With ANI inputs)