INSAT-4CR promises a boost to digital communications

Promising a boost to digital communications in India, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched its latest communications satellite, Insat-4CR yesterday.

Facing a series of delays caused by technical glitches, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F04 lifted off at 6.20 p.m. from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, India.

Around 17 minutes after launch, and about 5,000 Km from the launch station, the vehicle placed India’s INSAT-4CR into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Though the fifth flight of the 49m tall GSLV, it was the fourth successful one. The second operational flight, GSLV-F02, with INSAT-4C on board, carried on July 10, 2006, did not succeed.

The third satellite in the INSAT-4 series, INSAT-4CR, weighs 2,130 Kg and has a lifespan of 10 years. Carrying 12 high-power Ku-band transponders, the communication satellite is expected to boost direct-to-home (DTH) television broadcasts, Video Picture Transmission (VPT) and Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) in India.

INSAT-4CR is now orbiting the Earth in GTO with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 168 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 34,710 km with an orbital inclination of 20.7 degree with respect to the equator, ISRO officials revealed.

INSAT-4CR was developed by ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore with a cost of Rs. 150 crore, while, the GSLV was designed and developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. The cost of the vehicle was Rs. 160 crore.

The satellite will be monitored by the ground station of the ISTRAC located in the Indonesian island of Biak. Further, the ground stations at Lake Cowichan (Canada), Fucino (Italy) and Beijing (China) along with the Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka will monitor the wellbeing of the satellite and its orbit raising operations.

In the days to come, INSAT-4CR’s orbit will be raised from its present elliptical GTO to the final Geostationary Orbit (GSO) by firing the satellite’s Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) in stages. There, it will be co-located with KALPANA-1, INSAT-3C and EDUSAT.