Space

India's communication satellite launched successfully

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, March 12, IRNA
India-INSAT 4B-Launching
India's latest communication satellite, the INST-4B, was launched successfully at 3033 hours IST (Indian Standard Time) Monday morning from Kouru in French Guyana by the Ariane-5 launch vehicle.

According to an All India Radio (AIR) report, the weight of the indigenously built geo-stationary satellite is 3,025 kilograms. It carries 12 high-power KU band transponders and 12C transponders to augment the capacity for direct-to-home TV broadcasting services.

It will also augment the INSAT capacity for other communication and TV services.

Along with the INSAT-4B, a British military communication satellite, the SKYNET-5A, was also launched by Ariane-5.

The master control facility at HASSAN in Karnataka has received signals from the newly launched INSAT-4B satellite. ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair has expressed happiness over the successful launch of INSAT-4B. He said this would boost entertainment and business communication in the country.

It may be recalled that Ariane Space had postponed the launch yesterday by a day after an anomaly appeared in the safety system of the launchpad.

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