Final orbit raising operation of GSAT-29 satellite successful: ISRO

The final orbit raising operation of India's latest cutting-edge communication satellite GSAT-29 was successfully carried out on Saturday by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, ISRO tweeted, "Final orbit raising operation of GSAT29 has been successfully carried out today by firing the Liquid Apogee Motor engine for 207 secs. The satellite is in its final Geo-Stationary orbit now. Both solar arrays & reflectors have deployed."

According to news agency IANS, this is the third orbit raising activity of the satellite by ISRO.

Speaking to IANS, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said, "The GSat-29 satellite orbit was raised successfully. There will be no more orbit raising activity. The satellite will drift gently to its final position." He said the satellite`s antennas were deployed.

"Everything is fine with the satellite," said a happy sounding Sivan.

Earlier on Wednesday, India`s heaviest rocket GSLV-Mk III, carrying cutting-edge communication satellite GSAT-29, was launched into the outer space from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-Mk III) is 43.4 metre tall and weighs 640 ton. 

With a design life of 10 years, the GSAT-29 satellite carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders intended to meet the communication requirements of users including those in remote areas.

In addition, several new technologies such as Q/V-band payload, data transmission through optical communication link will be demonstrated. This will help in realising future advanced satellites, ISRO said.

The GSLV-MkII D2, a three-stage launch vehicle also holds a lot of promise. "This vehicle (GSLV-MkIII) is going to launch the Chandrayaan-II and also the manned mission. We are getting prepared for that," said Sivan. ISRO's Chandrayan -II is hoping to send an orbiter, lander and rover to the moon by early January of 2019.