India's heaviest satellite GSAT-10 successfully launched

India's advanced communication satellite GSAT-10 was successfully launched early today on board Ariane-5 rocket from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana.

GSAT-10, with a design life of 15 years is expected to be operational by November and will augment telecommunication, Direct-To-Home and radio navigation services. At 3,400 kg at lift-off, GSAT-10 is the heaviest built by Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation. It was ISRO's 101st space mission.

Arianespace's heavy lifting Ariane-5 ECA rocket launched GSAT-10 about 30 minutes after the blast off from the European launch pad in South America at 2.48 am, prior to which it injected European co-passenger ASTRA 2F into orbit.

GSAT-10 is fitted with 30 transponders (12 Ku-band, 12 C-band and six Extended C-Band), which will provide vital augmentation to INSAT/GSAT transponder capacity. It also has a navigation payload – GAGAN (GPS aided Geo Augmented Navigation) -- that would provide improved accuracy of GPS signals (of better than seven metres) to be used by Airports Authority of India for civil aviation requirements.

This is the second satellite in INSAT/GSAT constellation with GAGAN payload after GSAT-8, launched in May 2011.