Countdown starts for launch of Isro’s GSAT-6 satellite

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) today started a 29-hour countdown for the launch of the country's latest communication satellite GSAT-6, which will provide communication through five spot beams in S-band and a national beam in C-band for strategic users.

''The 29-hour countdown activity of GSLV-D6/GSAT-6 Mission has commenced today at 11:52 hr IST,'' Isro said.

The mission readiness review (MRR) committee and launch authorisation board (LAB) cleared the starting of the 29-hour countdown at 11:52 hrs, Isro said.

The launch of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) D6 carrying GSAT-6 is scheduled at 1652 hours tomorrow.

GSLV-D6 is the ninth flight of India's GSLV and also the fifth developmental flight of the launch vehicle. This is the third time the indigenously developed cryogenic upper stage (CUS) is being carried on-board during a GSLV flight.

GSLV is designed to inject a 2-ton class of communication satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

GSLV-D6 will launch the 2,117-kg GSAT-6, an advanced communication satellite, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. GSAT-6 will provide S-band communication services in the country. After reaching GTO, GSAT-6 will use its own propulsion system to reach its final geostationary orbital home and will be stationed 0 at 83 East longitude.

GSLV-D6 will be launched from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

S-band telemetry and C-band transponders enable GSLV-D6 performance monitoring, tracking, range safety/flight safety and Preliminary Orbit Determination (POD).

The antenna is utilised for five spot beams over the Indian mainland. The spot beams exploit the frequency reuse scheme to increase frequency spectrum utilisation efficiency.