Arianespace readies India’s GSAT-11 for launch
November 30, 2018
By Chris Forrester
An Ariane 5 rocket is scheduled to launch two satellites on December 4th subject to weather conditions.
India’s much-delayed GSAT-11 is one of the satellites.
India’s satellite should have been launched in May but was recalled from its launch site in French Guiana on April 25th, and an expected launch date of May 25th scrubbed. The satellite, the heaviest-ever Indian craft, was returned to India for further testing with a focus on its electrical systems after an expensive in-orbit failure on March 29th by a predecessor (GSAT-6A).
GSAT-11 had been at the Arianespace launch site since March 30th. According to ISRO, GSAT-11 is the forerunner in a series of advanced communications satellites with multi-spot beam antenna coverage over Indian mainland and islands.
GSAT-11 carries 40 transponders and is capable of providing DTH services and high-bandwidth connectivity.
The second craft to be carried on the Ariane rocket is GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, a South Korean meteorological satellite.