BANGALORE: India‘s advanced communication satellite, GSAT-8, was successfully launched at 02:08 hours today by the Ariane-V launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana.

Ariane V placed GSAT-8 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of 35,861 km apogee and 258 km perigee, with an orbital inclination of 2.503 degree with respect to the equator.

GSAT-8 will help augment the shortage of transponders due to a power snag that resulted in the failure of 24 transponders on the working satellite Insat-4B and the launch failures of Isro’s GSAT-5P and GSAT-4 last year.
 
As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the launch was delayed by a day due to certain additional inspection that had been taken up by the launch agency Arianespace.

Isro‘s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka acquired the signals from GSAT-8 satellite immediately after the injection. Initial checks on the satellite have indicated normal health of the satellite.  
 
The satellite was captured in three axis stabilisation mode. Preparations are underway for the firing of 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) during the third orbit of the satellite on 22 May at 03:58 hours as a first step towards taking the satellite to its geostationary orbital home.

Commenting on the successful launch, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "This launch will augment
communication networks in the country and help us meet the challenge of providing affordable radio and television connectivity and world class GPS services to millions of our countrymen."

Singh said this in a telephonic conversation with Space Secretary K. Radhakrishnan at the launch site.

In his message, he said: “The successful launch has once again demonstrated the versatility and reliability of Indian space programme.”

The GSAT-8 spacecraft, envisaged to augment the growing need of Ku band transponders, carries 24 Ku Band transponders and 2 Channel GAGAN (GPS And GEO Augmented navigation) payload.