Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch communication satellite GSAT-6A from Sriharikota, around 105 km away from Chennai . Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) carrying the satellite will lift off at 4.56 PM from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Countdown for the launch began at 1.56 PM yesterday. Satellite GSAT-6A is expected to be put into orbit 17 minutes after being launched. GSAT-6A, similar to GSAT-6, is a high power S-band communication satellite based on the I-2K satellite bus.
The mission life of the spacecraft is about 10 years. The satellite will also provide a platform for developing technologies such as demonstration of the 6-metre S-Band Unfurlable Antenna, hand-held ground terminals and network management techniques that could be useful in satellite-based mobile communication applications.
This will be the 12th flight of GSLV and the sixth one with the Indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage.