By the time India wakes up on Thursday, yet another Indian communication satellite will be up in space, sent up from half way across the globe.

GSAT-18, India's heaviest satellite to date at 3,404 kg, is scheduled to be launched from the European spacepad of Kourou in French Guiana between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. IST on October 6.

It. is expected to add a few new transponders for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The 48 transponders on the new satellite , including 12 in the Ku-band, should ease ISRO’s shortfall in meeting the growing demand from its numerous users.

GSAT-18 will be lifted to its space orbit on a European Ariane-5 rocket, ISRO said. Its Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar will be present for the launch happening from the South American space port.

ISRO last launched a communication satellite in November last year. That spacecraft, GSAT-15, did not add new numbers but has replaced the ageing INSAT-3A and a partially crippled INSAT-4B in the 93 degrees East slot.

More to follow

However, a few more communication spacecraft are due to be sent up over the next few months.M.Annadurai, Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) here, said, "We will be adding some more capacity when we launch GSAT-17 probably towards the end of this year. GSAT-9, GSAT-19 and [the 5700-kg] GSAT-11 are also being assembled at ISAC. We hope to have them all launched by March or April 2017."

As of May last year, totally 286 transponders were available for various uses in the country. Mr. Kiran Kumar had then said 96 Ku-band transponders were leased on foreign satellites, mainly for direct-to-home television broadcasters.

GSAT-18 was approved in May 2015 with a budget of Rs. 1,022 crore, which includes the fee to launch provider Arianespace. It will supplement the INSAT-4CR, sent to orbit in 2007, at the same slot of 74 degrees East longitude.

In the coming days, when it is in its final slot GSAT18 is expected to support the services of users in telecommunication, broadcasting, VSAT services and digital satellite news gathering areas.