Science and technology - GSAT-11

GSAT-11

GSAT-11, the heaviest satellite built by ISRO was launched from French Guiana by Ariane-V Rocket of Arianespace (a joint venture of Airbus and Safran).

About GSAT-11

·         It weighs around 5855 Kg, double the size of biggest satellite built by ISRO till now. ISRO’s most powerful launcher GSLV-Mk III can launch satellite weighing up to 4000 kg only.

·         It is part of ISRO’s high-throughout communication satellite (HTS) fleet that will drive the country’s Internet Broadband from space to untouched areas. It is built to provide throughput data rate of 16 gbps.

·         It carries 40 transponders in Ku (32)/ Ka (8) Band. For the First time use of Ka-Band is introduced in India through GSAT-11.

·         It will be placed in a circular geo-stationary orbit almost 36,000 Km away and settle at 74° E in India.

·         It has a lifespan of 15 years.

GSAT

·         A GSAT is a series of geosynchronous satellite placed in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital period same as the Earth's rotation period.

·         Such a satellite returns to the same position in the sky after each day.

·         A special case of geosynchronous satellite is the geostationary satellite, which has a geostationary orbit – a circular orbit directly above the Earth's equator.

o     Geosynchronous satellites have the advantage of remaining permanently in the same area of the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.

o     Geostationary satellites have the special property of remaining permanently fixed in exactly the same position in the sky, meaning that ground-based antennas do not need to track them but can remain fixed in one direction. Such satellites are often used for communication purposes. This orbit is present at an altitude of approx. 35,786 km in the equatorial plane.

Related information

Sun Synchronous Orbits (or Low Earth Orbit): These orbits allows a satellite to pass over a section of the Earth at the same time of day. These satellites orbit at an altitude between 700 to 800 km.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is an elliptical orbit, with  an  apogee  (high  point)  of  35,784  kilometers  and an   inclination   roughly   equal   to   the   latitude   of   the launch  site,  into  which  a  spacecraft  is  initially  placed before   being   transferred   to   a   geosynchronous   or geostationary orbit.

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