India's Advanced Communication Satellite GSAT-8 Launched Successfully

 India's advanced communication satellite, GSAT-8, was successfully launched at 02:08 hrs IST today (May 21, 2011) by the Ariane-V launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana.  Ariane V placed GSAT-8 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of 35,861 km apogee and      258 km perigee, with an orbital inclination of 2.503 deg with respect to equator.

ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka acquired the signals from GSAT-8 satellite immediately after the injection. Initial checks on the satellite have indicated normal health of the satellite. The satellite was captured in three axis stabilisation mode.

The first critical orbit-raising manoeuvre of GSAT-8 was successfully conducted at 03:58 hrs (IST) on May 22, 2011) with the firing of the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board GSAT-8 for 95 minutes by commanding the satellite from ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka. The satellite was oriented suitably before the start of LAM operations prior to this critical manoeuvre.  With this LAM operation, GSAT-8 perigee has been raised to 15,786 km. The apogee is at 35,768 km and the inclination of the orbit with respect to the equatorial plane has been reduced from 2.5 deg at the time of entering into orbit to 0.5 deg now. The present orbital period is 15 hours 56 minutes.

In the second orbit raising manoeuvre conducted at 12:22 IST on May 23, 2011, the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board GSAT-8 was fired for 35.8 minutes by commanding the satellite from ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF), Hassan. With this LAM firing, GSAT-8 perigee (closest point to earth) has been raised to 32,385 km. The apogee (farthest point to earth) height remains at 35,768 km. The inclination of the orbit with respect to the equatorial plane has been reduced to 0.06 deg. GSAT-8 now has an orbital period of 22 hours 29 minutes. The satellite will now be in the continuous radio visibility of MCF, Hassan.

The last orbit raising manoeuvre to place GSAT-8 in near Geosynchronous Orbit took place on  May 24, 2011. Deployment of the two solar panels and the two antennas were  carried out subsequently.

All systems onboard the satellite are functioning normally.