India launches communication satellite GSAT-8 successfully

Bangalore, May 21 (ANI): India's advanced communication satellite, GSAT-8, was on Saturday successfully launched by the Ariane-V launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana.

GSAT-8 was injected into space by European launcher Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket which lifted-off at 2.08 a.m. with Japan's ST-2 spacecraft as co-passenger.

Weighing 3,100 kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is one of the heaviest and high-powered satellites built by the Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation.

The satellite was captured in three axis stabilisation mode. It will boost Direct to Home Services in the country.

The 24 Ku band transponders will augment the capacity in the INSAT system.

The GAGAN payload provides the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS), through which the accuracy of the positioning information obtained from the GPS Satellite is improved by a network of ground based receivers and made available to the users in Aviation sector in the country through the geo-stationary satellites. (ANI)