In a significant development, India has successfully launched its first military satellite (GSAT-7) into orbit.
New Delhi, Aug 30/Nationalturk – In yet another giant leap, India successfully launched its first military satellite (GSAT-7) into orbit and joined a select group of five countries having such capability.
“Built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the military satellite was launched during a 50-minute launch window starting 0200 hours from Kourou in South America using a French-made Ariane rocket,” officials said.
They said after a flight of almost 34 minutes, the 2.5 tonne satellite was injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of 249 km perigee (nearest point to earth), 35,929 km apogee (farthest point to earth) and an inclination of 3.5 degree with respect to the equator.
Officials said Rs 185 crore GSAT-7 will prove beneficial for Indian Navy. “It will transform the capabilities of Indian Navy, allowing it to communicate with its fleet across Indian Ocean through a top-secret encrypted system”.
They said navy ships will be able to exchange data about the precise location of ‘enemy ships and submarines’. “In the process, each ship in the fleet will have a comprehensive digital map of the position of friendly forces and enemy forces. The frequency bands of GSAT-7 will help space-based marine communications.”
‘India joins select group of five countries’
With the launch of military satellite, India has joined a select club of countries including US, Russian, France, Britain and China that have dedicated military communication satellites.
An ISRO officials said the frequency bands of GSAT-7 will help space-based marine communications. It has coverage over India landmass as well as surrounding seas. “It is very important from security and surveillance points of view”.
He said the state-of-the-art satellite carrying payloads operating in UHF, S, C and Ku bands, had a lift-off mass of 2625 kg and is based on ISRO’s 2500 kg satellite bus with some new technological elements, including the antennae.
“The military satellite would be operational by the end of next month,” he said.
India’s ISRO cannot launch heavy satellites like GSAT-7 as its home-grown GSLV rocket, with indigenous cryogenic stage, is still at works and needs two successful flights before it is declared operational.
India’s home grown GSLV has had several mishaps, the most recent being when it nearly went up in flames recently after a massive fuel leak.
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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News
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