Communications satellite close to achieving geo-stationary orbit

Chennai: The Indian communication satellite GSAT-12 is now very near to its ultimate geo-stationary orbit at 36,000km apogee, the farthest point from Earth, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said Monday.

The Isro revealed that it had successfully raised the satellite's orbit to 35,721km apogee and 10,074km perigee, its closet point to the Earth, since its launch on Friday.

"All the satellite sub-systems are functioning well. The orbit-raising manoeuvres are progressing satisfactorily," said S. Satish, Isro director of publications and public relations.

He said a total of three orbit-raising operations had been carried out since the Friday blast-off.

The Rs 1.05 billion (Dh85 million) GSAT-12 satellite with 12 extended C-band transponders — automatic receivers and transmitters for communication and broadcast of signals — was launched by Isro's lighter rocket polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) from the space port at Sriharikota, around 80km from Chennai.

For an observer from earth, a satellite in geosynchronous orbit will seem motionless, stationary at one point in the sky.

The GSAT-12 carries around 851 kilograms of fuel to fire the motors. Its lift-off mass was 1,410 kilograms.