India’s latest communication satellite launched on board European vehicle

TIL Desk/National/Bengaluru/ India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-31 was successfully launched by European launch services provider — Arianespace’s rocket from French Guiana in the early hours of Wednesday.

Blasting off from Ariane Launch Complex at Kourou, a French territory located in northeastern coast of South America at at 2.31 am (IST), the Ariane-5 vehicle injected GSAT-31 into the orbit in a flawless flight lasting about 42 minutes.

“It gives me great pleasure on the successful launch of GSAT-31 spacecraft on board Ariane-5,” Indian Space Research Organisation’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Director S Pandian said at Kourou soon after the launch.”Congratulation to Arianespace on the successful launch and precise injection of satellite into the orbit,” he added.

The GSAT-31 is a ‘high power’ communication satellite with Ku-band, and it is going to serve and replace some of the satellites that are going to expire soon, he said further.