India has successfully launched its latest communication satellite GSAT-31 from French Guiana, making it the third successful mission by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this year. The satellite is successfully placed into the orbit within 42 minutes of its launch from Ariane Launch Complex at Kourou, which is a French territory located in the northeastern coast of South America.

India has achieved another milestone with the launch of GSAT-31 and that is, it has become India’s 40th communication satellite. The satellite is going to replace the InSAT, which is due for expiry soon. S Pandian, Director, Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) after the successful launch of the satellite said, “It gives me great pleasure on the successful launch of GSAT-31 spacecraft on board Ariane-5, this is the third mission for ISRO in 2019”.

GSAT-31, which weighs about 2,535 kilograms is going to provide its continuous support to the operational services on some of the orbit satellites. This satellite will also augment the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit. ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan said, “GSAT-31 has a unique configuration of providing flexible frequency segments and coverage. It will provide communication services to Indian mainland and island”.

GSAT-31 is going to support the VSAT networks, Digital Satellite News Gathering, Television uplinks, DTH-television services, Cellular backhaul connectivity and many other applications. The salient features of the satellite are Spacecraft Power: 4.7 KW, Payload: Ku-band transponders, Coverage area: Indian mainland and island and the life of the Mission is 15 years.

The GSAT-31 satellite is also going to provide wide beam coverage to facilitate communication over the large oceanic region, which comprises of large parts of Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean by using a wideband transponder.

Another geostationary satellite GSAT-30 is to be launched very soon by Arianespace. Since the launch of India’s APPLE experimental satellite on the Ariane Flight L03 in the year 1981, the European launch services provider has said that Arianespace has orbited 23 satellites and also signed 24 launch contracts with the Indian space agency so far.

Arianespace CEO Stephane Israel says, “Arianespace is honored as ISRO has entrusted Ariane 5 for two launches back-to-back, with the last Ariane 5 of 2018 launching GSAT-11, and today the first one of the year 2019, which orbited GSAT-31”. The preparation for the launch of the next ISRO geostationary satellite GSAT-30 by Arianespace is now on.

