Indian Communication Satellite GSAT-16 launched successfully

Indian Communication Satellite GSAT-16 was on 7 December 2014 launched successfully from the Kourou space port in French Guiana. It was launched by the European Ariane-5 launch vehicle VA221 of Arianespace.

Ariane-5 accurately placed the GSAT-16 into the projected Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) after a flight of 32 minutes and 20.4 Seconds duration.

ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka acquired the signal from the satellite and the commanding of the satellite was initiated.

The satellite will be placed in the Geostationary Orbit by 12 December 2014 and subsequently the satellite's communication transponders will be switched on for in-orbit testing.

The satellite launch was originally scheduled for 5 December 2014 but was postponed due to bad weather.

About GSAT-16
• The GSAT-16  satellite was built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru. It is the 18th satellite launched by Arianespace for ISRO.
• GSAT-16 is an advanced communication satellite weighing 3181.6 kg at lift-off and is inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system.
• GSAT-16 carries a total of 48 communication transponders, the largest by a communication satellite developed by the ISRO so far.
• It replaced the INSAT-3E which expired in April 2014 at 55 degrees East longitude.
• GSAT-16, with an operational life of 12 years, will boost public and private television and radio services, large-scale Internet and telephone operations.
• GSAT-16 will be finally positioned at 55 degrees East longitude in the Geostationary Orbit and will be co-located with GSAT-8, IRNSS-1A and IRNSS-1B satellites.