Minutes after the launch, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan who was at space agency’s Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka, said the Master Control Facility had already taken command and control of the satellite. He said they expected to operationalise GSAT-10 and make it available to the user community by November this year.
About 3,400-kg at lift-off, GSAT-10 is the heaviest built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was ISRO’s 101st space mission. It is fitted with 30 transponders, 12 Ku-band, 12 C-band and six Extended C-Band, which will provide vital augmentation to INSAT and GSAT transponder capacity.
It also has a navigation payload GAGAN, GPS aided Geo Augmented Navigation that would provide improved accuracy of GPS signals to be used by Airports Authority of India for civil aviation requirements.
This is the second satellite in INSAT and GSAT constellation with GAGAN payload after GSAT-8, launched in May 2011.
Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said at the launch base that ISRO is a highly loyal customer, as the collaboration with it began more than 30 years ago with its Apple satellite’s orbiting by the third flight of an Ariane vehicle launched in June 1981.
The satellite was originally scheduled to be launched on the 22nd of this month but was deferred after scientists detected a small glitch.
ISRO said GSAT-10 project was a Rs 750-crore mission that includes the cost of satellite, launch services by the European space consortium Arianespace and insurance.