A view of the GSLV F08.   | Photo Credit: ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the GSAT 6A satellite on Thursday at 4.56 p.m. from Sriharikota. This is a step forward for ISRO in its indigenous communication satellites programme.

The GSLV F08, which will carry the 6A satellite, will be sent from the second launch pad in Sriharikota. This will be the 12th GSLV flight and the sixth flight with the Cryogenic Upper Stage. This satellite will provide mobile communication to India through multi-beam coverage. There are two improvements to the GSLV F08, ISRO has said. These are, the induction of the Vikas engine and an electromechanical actuation system.

The GSAT 6A has been in the news before, but for the Antrix-Devas deal. Under the deal, Antrix, ISRO’s commercial arm, was to provide 70 MHz of the scarce S-Band wavelength to Devas for its digital multimedia services. This was to be done by leasing 90 per cent of the transponders in satellites GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A that are proposed to be launched by ISRO. Devas, in turn, was to pay Antrix a total of $300 million over 12 years.

The agreement was signed on January 28, 2005. Consequently, the Department of Space (DoS) got the Cabinet approval for the building of GSAT-6 at a cost of ₹269 crore and GSAT-6A at a cost of ₹147 crore under the Commission’s delegated powers.

The deal was annulled in 2011 when irregularities were found in the financial management.

Weighing 415.6 tonnes, the GSLV F08 will put the GSAT 6A into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after its launch.

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