ISRO Successfully Completes Three Orbit-Raising Manoeuvres Of Its GSAT-30 Communication Satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday (20 January) said that GSAT-30 communication satellite, which was successfully launched on 17 January, has completed the three orbit raising manoeuvres, reports News 18.

The Indian communication satellite was launched on board European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana.

“After the injection of GSAT-30 communication satellite into an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on January 17, 2020, all the three orbit raising manoeuvers have been completed successfully as planned using the satellite's propulsion system,” the ISRO said in a statement.

"The satellite solar panels and antennas have been deployed and the satellite is placed in an orbit with a perigee (nearest point from Earth) of 35,826 km and an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 35,913 km with an inclination of 0.11 degree, which is very close to its operational orbit," it added.

With a mission life of 15 years, GSAT-30 is an operational communication satellite for DTH, television uplink and VSAT services.

The ISRO has said the communication payload of GSAT-30 is specifically designed and optimised to maximise the number of transponders on the spacecraft bus.