India launched its first defence satellite GSAT-7 on this day in 2013; read significance

On August 30, 2013, India launched its first-ever defence satellite into a geostationary orbit in space dedicated to enhance the military communication and expand its naval footprint, according to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) release. The advanced multi-band communication satellite GSAT-7 was launched by India’s space agency ISRO from Kourou spaceport, in French Guinea at 0200 hrs IST, loaded on the Ariane-5 launch vehicle of Arianespace. 

“GSAT-7 Communication payload is designed to provide communication capabilities to users,” ISRO wrote in the release on its website. “The payload configuration is compatible with I-2.5K bus of ISRO. The GSAT-7 payload design includes Multiband communication,” it added.

Not only the defence satellite aimed to improve the Indian navy's surveillance but also provide a wide range of service spectrum from low bit rate voice to high bit rate data communication across both Indian oceanic regions and landmass, as per ISRO. The Ariane-5 injected the GSAT-7 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) exactly post a 34 minutes 25 seconds duration flight as signals were transmitted at the ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka for about 5 minutes. Signals indicated the successful separation of the of GSAT-7 satellite from Ariane-5 rocket and solar panels of the satellite activated and generating power. ISRO had updated at the time that the “initial checks have indicated normal health of the satellite.”

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Placed in orbit in September 2013

At about 36,000 km altitude, the satellite orbited Geostationary Orbit as it increased manoeuvres by “firing of GSAT-7's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM)”, according to ISRO’s release. While the satellite was placed in its orbit on September 04, 2013, the first firing was reported on August 31, 2013. “ Satellite was important from security and surveillance points of view”, PTI quoted SRO official as saying in a report. Further, the Rs 185-crore GSAT-7 satellite launch was live-streamed on national television ‘Doordarshan’. Several prominent figures witnessed the launch live from the facility including Indian Ambassador to France, Arun Singh and Director of Bangalore-based ISRO Satellite Centre, S K Shivakumar, who reportedly called the historic launch a promising step towards India- France’s strategic partnership. 

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