India successfully launches communication satellite

India successfully launched its latest communication satellite CMS-01 on board its Polar rocket from the spaceport here on Thursday, the second and last launch this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ISRO‘s trusted polar satellite launch vehicle – PSLV-C50 – injected the satellite into the predefined orbit around 20 minutes after the lift-off from the second launch pad at the spaceport of Sriharikota.

CMS-01 is the 42nd communication satellite of the space agency and it is envisaged for providing services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum covering India, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

The satellite is functioning “very well”, ISRO Chairman K .Sivan said. The solar panels of the satellite, a crucial operation, have been deployed, he said, addressing scientists from the Mission Control Centre.

“I am extremely happy to declare that the PSLV-C50 successfully injected CMS-01 communication satellite precisely into the predefined sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. In another four days from now, the satellite will be placed into the specified slot into the GTO,” he said.

Sivan said the satellite will replace communication satellite GSAT-12 launched 11 years ago. CMS-01 will have a lifespan of over seven years, according to ISRO. ISRO will also launch an earth observation satellite ‘ANAND’ that is fully built by a start-up as part of enabling private players in space exploration, Sivan said. “The next mission PSLV-C51 (polar satellite launch vehicle) is special for us. It is special for the entire country. The government of India has initiated (reforms) and within eight months, the first satellite ‘ANAND’ from a start-up, called Pixel India, is going to be launched,” he added.


TV BRICS reports with reference to Trinity Mirror.