INSAT-3B airlifted to French Guyana

BANGALORE, FEB. 2. INSAT-3B, the first satellite in the Insat-3 series, was airlifted last night to Kourou in French Guyana from where it is set to be launched on board an European launch vehicle, Ariane-5, on March 14.

The Air France cargo aircraft (AF 6741) carrying the satellite - primarily intended for business, developmental and mobile communications - and other equipment took off at 11.00 p.m., a press release from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here today.

The satellite, built by ISRO, was packed in a special container with provisions such as vibration isolation, nitrogen purging, rapid decompression provision and monitoring instruments for temperature, pressure and vibration levels, among others, to take care of the spacecraft during its transport and handling.

ISRO said the other equipment were packed in 10 pellets and it weighed about 40 tonnes.

Two ISRO scientists are accompanying the cargo. A team of ISRO engineers have already left for Kourou to start working on the satellite as soon as it reaches there.The cargo is expected to reach Kaynes airport near Kourou this evening.

ISRO Chairman, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, has already said that the launch window for the spacecraft had been fixed from March 14 to March 21, and the blast-off planned on the first day itself.

Developed as a fast-track project, the satellite which would weigh 2,070 kg at lift-off, consists of 12 extended C-band, three KU-band and one S-band mobile service payload. The satellite has a design life of 10 years.

To be colocated at 83 degrees East longitude along with INSAT-2E, INSAT-3B was purely a communication satellite with a payload of 12 extended C-band transponders, three Ku band transponders and s-band mobile satellite service payloads.

- PTI, UNI

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