The Hindu : INSAT-3E launch by August-end

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 19, 2003

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INSAT-3E launch by August-end

By R.K. Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI JULY 18. The next in the series of ISRO's (Indian Space Research Organisation) communication satellites, INSAT-3E, will be launched from the French Guyanese spaceport, Kourou, by August-end.

ISRO said today it had transported to Kourou the satellite, for launching it on board the European Ariane launch vehicle.

The spacecraft, with the ground checkout and other equipment, left Bangalore on July 15, by an AN-124 cargo aircraft and reached Cayenne airport at 1 p.m. The satellite was then transported by road to the launch centre at Kourou in French Guyana. INSAT-3E is the fourth satellite to be launched in the INSAT-3 series. INSAT-3A, INSAT-3B and INSAT-3C have already been commissioned and INSAT-3D, an advanced meteorological satellite, will be launched during 2004-05.

Weighing 2,750 kg at lift off, INSAT-3E carries 24 C-band transponders and 12 extended C-band transponders. When commissioned, the satellite will substantially enhance the INSAT system capacity, which now provides about 120 transponders in C-band, extended C-band, Ku-band and S-band meeting the requirement of various users.

An Ariane 5G rocket will carry the satellite, along with two others, e-BIRD (Eutelstar, for internet application) and SMART - 1 (European Space Agency, meant for advanced research and to serve as a technology test bed for the first European Mission to the Moon).

The launch campaign for flight 162 has commenced on July 17 at the spaceport when the Ariane - 5 cryogenic core stage was removed from its protective shipping container and put up in the launcher integration building, according to Arianespace.

In the coming weeks, the appendages such as antennae and solar panels will be integrated with INSAT-3E and the total spacecraft tested in detail at the spaceports' massive S-5 payload preparation bay.

After propellant filling operations, it will be mated with the Ariane vehicle for its launch. Testing is also underway on the SMART-1 satellite. e-BIRD is expected to arrive at the facility by early August, according to Arianespace.

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