Early today by an Ariane-5 rocket from the Kourou Space Launch Center in French Guiana.
The European Launcher took off at 3:4 am Indian time and delivered GSAT-15 to space in a flawless flight. GSAT-15 was launched into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit after its co-traveler Arabsat-6B (BADR-7) was sent into space.
Arianespace said that Arianespace successfully launched two satellites, Arabsat-6B (BADR-7) for operator Arabsat and GSAT-15 for ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). ISRO said that GSAT-15 with a total in-flight weight of 3,164 kg is the high-end satellite to be inducted into the INSAT: GSAT system. It has 24 Ku-band communication transponders and the GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) payload is operating in L1 and L5 bands.
After GSAT-8 and GSAT-10, GSAT-15 is the third such satellite, which has carried the Gagan payload. GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 are already providing services of navigation from orbit. It is also fitted with a Ku-band lighthouse so that the ground-mounted antenna can be precisely balanced towards the satellite. GSAT-15 will be the 19th payload that Arianespace has launched for ISRO.
ISRO Satellite Center (ISAC) director M Annadurai said in Kauru that the Master Control Facility at Hassan (Karnataka) has received the signal from the GSAT-15 satellite. The command to launch it is in process and the position of the satellite is completely fine.
Annadurai said that with the launch of GSAT-15, ISRO will be able to continue providing services in Ku band for Indian users. In addition, the navigation payload GAGAN of GSAT-15 will help in ensuring the safety of life navigation services in the civil aviation sector as well as other land-based services for various services in the Indian region. He said that two more communication satellites GSAT-17 and GSAT-18 are also being prepared for launch by Ariane spacecraft in the coming year. The work of both satellites has reached a very advanced stage.
Doordarshan telecast the launch live. ISRO said GSAT 15 will provide replacement of indigenous operational satellite capability along with augmentation of Ku band capability. ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said in a recorded message, the launch of GSAT-15 is a step forward towards further strengthening the infrastructure of the Satellite Navigation Initiative in the country and maintaining the communication infrastructure.
Arabsat-6B, launched with an Indian satellite, was launched through Ariane 5 VA 227 for Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Ariane Space under a ready-made agreement with Saudi Arabia's Arabsat.
According to Arianespace, when Arabsat 6B is placed in orbit, it will be renamed BADR-7 after providing broadcast, broadband, and telecommunications services in West Asia, Africa, and Central Asia. The total payload weight of the Ariane 5 mission was 9,810 kg. These payloads include 5,798 kg of Arabsat-6B and 3,164 kg of GSAT-15.
ISRO said the GAGAN payload in GSAT-15 provides the satellite-based augmentation system. Through this, the accuracy of positioning of information received from GPS satellites is improved by a network of ground-based recipients and made available to users in the country through geostationary satellites.
In the next few days, the MCF at Hassan will use the satellite's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) to lift it into orbit so that it can be placed in its target orbit. GSAT-15 with an operational life of 12 years in orbit will be placed at 93.5 east longitude and along with INSAT-3A and INSAT-4B satellites.