GSAT-6A launch Highlights: Communication satellite put into orbit, PM Modi congratulates ISRO

ISRO launched the communication satellite GSAT-6A at 4:56pm from Sriharikota. Below are the highlights:

ISRO’s GSLV rocket carrying strategic communication satellite GSAT-6A lifted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, on Thursday.

ISRO launches GSLV-F08 carrying the GSAT-6A communication satellite from Sriharikota. (ANI Photo/Twitter)

The GSLV-F08 rocket saddled with the passenger satellite in its payload fairing blasted off from the second launch pad at 4.56 pm

According to ISRO, the GSAT-6A is a high power S-band communication satellite built on I-2K satellite bus with a mission life of about 10 years.

The satellite was put into orbit around 18 minutes after the rocket took off.

Here are the updates:

6:00 pm: PM Modi congratulates ISRO on the successful launch of GSLV-F08 with indigenous cryogenic stage.

5:25 pm: “Perfect orbit has been achieved today. The naughty boy tamed by Dr Sivan is behaving very well under his leadership,” says S Somanath, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

5:20 pm: “The successful launch of GSLV-08 with indigenous cryogenic stage successfully placed the high-power S-band communication satellite GSAT-6A in the designated orbit precisely,” ISRO chairman, K Sivan.

5:16 pm:

5:13 pm: GSAT-6A successfully separated from the launch vehicle and injected into the orbit.

5.02 pm: First stage ignition confirmed.

5:00 pm: Payload fairing successfully separated.

4:56 pm: GSLV-F08 rocket carrying GSAT-6A lifts off.

4:50 pm: Weather conditions pleasant for the launch.

4:40 pm: Mission director gives authorisation to vehicle director for further launch operation of the mission.

3:52 pm: The launch marks the 12th flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F08 and sixth flight with indigenous Cryogenic upper stage.

3:50 pm: A key feature of the satellite is to provide mobile communication to India through multi-beam coverage facility.

3:45 pm: The GSLV-F08 rocket weighs about 415.6 tonnes and measures 49.1 metre tall.

(with inputs from agencies)