ISRO Launches GSAT-7A Military Communications Satellite

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the GSAT-7A, a military communications satellite, from the second launch pad of Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota located in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

The GSLV-F11 rocket will inject GSAT-7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and it will be placed in its final Geostationary Orbit using the onboard propulsion systems. This is the 69th launch from the Sriharikota launch pad.

The 2,250 kg satellite will give a boost to the Defence forces’ communication capabilities. GSAT-7A will enable the Indian Air Force (IAF) to interlink its many ground radar stations, airbases and aircrafts. It will also help IAF boost their network-dependant warfare capabilities and expand their current operations globally in the near future.

GSLV – F11 is ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle with three stages. The four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor at the core form the first stage. The second stage is equipped with high thrust engine using liquid fuel. The Cryogenic Upper Stage forms the third and final stage of the vehicle, ISRO said in a statement today.

GSAT-7A is the 35th Indian Communication satellite spacecraft configured on ISRO’s standard I-2000 Kg (I-2K) Bus. The Satellite is built to provide communication capability to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region, according to ISRO.