‘The Big Bird’: India marks successful launch of its heaviest satellite GSAT-11 onboard space vehicle Ariane-5

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‘The Big Bird’: India marks successful launch of its heaviest satellite GSAT-11 onboard space vehicle Ariane-5
(Photo Source: twitter.com/@isro)
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  • India’s heaviest satellite GSAT-11, also called the ‘The Big Bird,’ was successfully injected into orbit from French Guiana in the early hours this morning.
  • GSAT-11, which weighs 5854 kilograms, will boost broadband connectivity in India. It will cover the entire country including remote places, said K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • India’s space agency is on a satellite launching spree and has already completed three satellite and two launch vehicle missions in the last 21 days. One of these missions included 30 satellites.
Just a few days after injecting India’s earth observation satellite into orbit, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched the country’s heaviest satellite -- that will advance the broadband connectivity in India from French Guiana.



At 2:07 am (IST) the space launch vehicle Ariane-5 VA-246 carrying India’s GSAT-11 and South Korea’s GEO-KOMPSAT-2A satellites lifted off from Kourou Launch Base in the spaceport from French Guiana.

Within half an hour after lifting off from the spaceport, GSAT-11 was separated from Ariana 5 and placed into orbit.

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The next generation advanced communication satellite, GSAT-11, will reportedly cover all parts of the country including remote areas and provide about 16 GBPS data link services across India, said NDTV citing ISRO Chairman K Sivan.


The ISRO’s first 6-ton class satellite GSAT-11 will pave the way for the Indian government’s ambitious plan to provide high data connectivity of 100 GBPS.



“GSAT-11 will boost the broadband connectivity to rural and inaccessible Gram Panchayats in the country coming under the Bharat Net Project, which is part of Digital India Programme,” said ISRO Chairman Dr. K Sivan.

It will be a “forerunner” for all the communication satellites to be launched in the future. ISRO’s Master Control Facility located at Hassan took charge of GSAT-11 following the separation of GSAT-11 and Ariane 5.
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India’s space agency is on a launching spree and has already completed three satellite and two launch vehicle missions in the last 21 days. One of these missions included 30 satellites.

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