GSAT-18 satellite delayed due to bad weather
Isro’s launch of communications satellite GSAT-18 delays due to bad weather
GSAT-18 satellite delayed due to bad weather:- The launch of India’s latest communication satellite named GSAT-18 early on Wednesday, onboard the Arianespace rocket, from Kourou in French Guiana has been now deferred by a day due to the heavy cross winds, confirmed by Indian Space Research Organization (Isro).
“The launch has been further postponed by one day due to heavy cross winds,” a senior from ISRO official said late on Tuesday night.
The communications satellite will now be launching at 2am on October 6, which is 24 hours after its initial launch time.
Arianespace launch vehicle Ariane-5 VA-231, was all set to carry the GSAT-18 along with the co-passenger Sky Muster II for the Australian operator NBN (National Broadband Network).
“Due to high altitude winds, decided to postpone #VA231. Tomorrow’s forecast is green. Launch window now set to open on Oct 5 at 20:30 UTC,” Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël tweeted.
New launch date
The launch has been further scheduled now between 2 and 3:15am India time on the date October 6, it said, adding, “The launcher, with its Sky Muster II and GSAT-18 satellite payloads, remains in a safe standby condition.”
GSAT-18 has been designed to further provide continuity of services on an operational satellites in C-band, Extended C-band and Ku-bands.
The satellite weight 3,404 kg at lift-off and this satellite further carries 48 communication transponders to provide the services in the Normal C-band, Upper Extended C-band and also Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum. It carries Ku-band beacon in order to help in accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite.
GSAT-18 would be launching into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
GSAT-18’s co-passenger the Sky Muster II, which is built by SSL (Space Systems Loral) in Palo Alto, situated in California, is aimed at further bridging the digital divide and this is especially in the rural and also some of the isolated regions of Australia.
