India's GSAT-7 satellite placed in geosynchronous orbit

India's advanced multi-band communication satellite GSAT-7, launched from French Guiana by European space consortium Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket on August 30, has been successfully placed in the geosynchronous orbit with an altitude of about 36,000 km above earth’s surface.

Indian Space Research Organisation successfully completed the last of the three orbit-raising manoeuvres commanded from ISRO's Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka on Tuesday, the space agency said in a statement.

The communication antennae of GSAT-7, including the UHF Helix antenna, were deployed successfully. Following this, GSAT-7 was put in its final orbital configuration and stabilised on its three-axis by the momentum wheels.

The GSAT-7 would reach its assigned orbital slot of 74 degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit within the next 10 days, the Bangalore-headquartered ISRO said.

On September 14, the communication transponders in UHF, S, C and Ku bands are planned to be switched on, it said.