GSAT-12 to be operational in 8 weeks

HASSAN: A week after the successful launch of the GSAT-12 by the Indian Space Research OrganiSation (ISRO) from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said that the satellite would be operational in eight weeks.Addressing the media at the Master Control Facility (MCF) here, he said that the spacecraft controllers at the MCF successfully deployed the 1.2 metre reflector antenna which was on board the satellite, which concludes all aspects of the deployment and was in its final orbital configuration towards earth.“The GSAT-12 satellite was on continuous radio-visibility from the MCF,” he said.He said that the two MCF centres in Bhopal and Hassan had been controlling the constellation of Indian satellites and added that all control of GSAT-12 had now been taken over by the Hassan facility.He explained that the GSAT-12, carrying 12 transponders in the extended C Band was one of the heaviest launches PSLV-C17. Radhakrishnan shared that the same was now in circular orbit at 36,000 kms above earth. The satellite is now located 63 degrees (East Longitude) and it would be moved to reach its final designated longitude of 83 East.“The satellite would be moved a degree a day and the process would be completed within the next 16 days,” he said and added that it would be located alongside INSAT-2E and INSAT-4A satellites. The GSAT-12 could well be the replacement for the INSAT-2E which was launched in 1999, as the latter has a life span of 12 years of which it has almost completed.He added that the transponders would be tested before the satellite over the course of four to six weeks.“Only after this, we would declare the satellite ready for commercial operations,” he said. He said that India had a shortage of 200 transponders and procuring them would be a priority. “We will be launching GSAT-10 in 2012 which will further augment 30 more transponders.We are also in talks with foreign agencies to hire transponders,” he said.