ISRO CARRIES OUT FIRST ORBIT-RAISING MANOEUVRE OF GSAT-14
The first orbit-raising operation of the GSAT-14 communication satellite was successfully carried out by ISRO today, a day after it was shot into space in a milestone launch by the GSLV-D5 rocket powered by an indigenous cryogenic engine. The Apogee Motor on the spacecraft was fired for 3,134 seconds with a realised orbit of 8,966 km Perigee, nearest point to earth, by 35,744 km Apogee, the farthest point to earth, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.ISRO said the remaining two orbit-raising operations are planned on January 7 and 9 to place the satellite in a geostationary orbit.
The indigenous cryogenic upper stage was successfully flight tested on the GSLV-D5 launch vehicle from the spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh yesterday, a feat that put India in an exclusive club comprising the US, Russia, France, Japan and China, which have mastered cryogenic engine technology.
With the successful mission of the GSLV-D5 that demonstrated India's prowess to put satellites weighing more than two tonnes in orbit, ISRO has lined up more GSLV flights powered by indigenous cryogenic engines to launch the GSAT-6, 7A and 9, GISAT (Geo Imaging Satellite) and Chandrayaan-2.
Credit: thehindubusinessline.com
