ISRO's GSAT-30 telecom satellite due for launch on Ariane V this week: All you need to know

The Indian space agency ISRO is collaborating with the European aerospace company Arianespace to launch its next telecommunication satellite mission, GSAT-30. The satellite is due for launch into orbit on Friday, 17 January 2020 at 2.35 am IST from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch will mark the 107th flight of the Ariane V launch vehicle by Arianespace. On launch day, the Ariane 5 will be carrying a second telecommunication satellite for European space company Eutelsat Konnect. The rocket will first place the GSAT-30 in orbit, followed by the release of Eutelsat’s Konnect. The entire mission is supposed to last 38 minutes and 25 seconds.

About GSAT-30

The GSAT-30 was designed and manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organisation. It will be placed at a longitude of 83° East and will provide high-quality television, telecommunications and broadcasting services to the mainland and India’s islands. [caption id=“attachment_7899931” align=“alignnone” width=“724”] GSAT-30 being loaded onto the Ariane V launch vehicle. Image: Arianespace[/caption] It will provide extended coverage in the C-band, which helps television broadcasters beam their programs across the country, in Australia, Gulf countries and a large number of Asian countries too. The satellite also has one Ku-band beacon downlink signal for ground tracking purposes. GSAT-30 has a mission life of 15 years, and will be replacing the Insat 4A satellite currently in orbit.

About KONNECT

Konnect, a satellite owned by Eutelsat communications and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, is a new-generation high-throughput telecom satellite that can deliver services across Europe and Africa. Weighing around 3,620 kg, it will operate from an orbital slot at 13 degrees east. It will provide internet access to both companies and individuals at speeds of up to 100 Mbps, as per  Eutelsat’s website. With all-electric propulsion and operating on Ka-band frequencies, Konnect is designed to stay useful in orbit for 15 years. [caption id=“attachment_7899891” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Al illustration of the KONNECT satellite . Image: Eutelsat[/caption]

The high-capacity broadband satellite will deliver significant resources for broadband services across Europe and Africa and set a new benchmark for flexibility in High Throughput Satellites, the website claims. It will also be used for community networks connected to Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile phone backhauling and rural connectivity.

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 is a heavy-lift launcher that can carry payloads of 10 metric tons to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) and 20 metric tons into low-Earth orbit (LEO).