GSAT-2 placed in geo-stationary orbit

The second experimental satellite, GSAT-2, of the Indian Space Research Organisation has been successfully placed in the geo-stationary orbit and its solar arrays and antenna have been deployed.

A series of critical operations were carried out from ISRO's Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka on Sunday and Monday to shift the satellite from the geo-synchronous transfer orbit to the geo-stationary orbit in the third and final phase of orbit-raising operations.

Onboard motors were fired for about 90 minutes in three phases on May 9-11 to push the satellite. "It is expected to reach its final orbital slot in a week's time," sources added.

The satellite, launched on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D2) on Thursday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, performed its first orbit-raising operation on Friday, where it was raised to 8,850km. The second such operation was conducted on Saturday, raising it to 34,000km.