Pune, December 19, 2018 – The GSLV Mk II F11 flight launched from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota has successfully placed GSAT-7A, a high throughput communications satellite developed by ISRO, in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite will be placed in its final Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) by the onboard propulsion systems.
GSAT-7A Spacecraft is configured on ISRO’s standard I-2000 Kg (I-2K) Bus. The Satellite is built to provide communication capability to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region. The 2,250 Kg satellite will primarily cater to the Indian Air Force, and is expected to add a new space-based dimension to the way Indian Air Force interlinks, operates and communicates with its aircraft as they fly and with command centres on ground GSLV Mk II is ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle with three stages. The four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor at the core form the first stage. The second stage is equipped with high thrust engine using liquid fuel. The Cryogenic Upper Stage forms the third and final stage of the vehicle.
Rocket motor hardware segments, particularly the Head and Nozzle End Segments, for the First Stage Boosters have been delivered by Pune-based WIL for this GSLV Mk II F11 flight. The development for manufacturing of these motorcases started in 1985 and WIL delivered first S139 segment to Prof. U. R. Rao, the then Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of DOS, in 1987. Subsequently, WIL has delivered many flight hardware including Strap On Boosters and Nozzle Hardware.
This is the 13 th flight for GSLV Mk II. As ISRO gears up for increased number of annual launches from the coming year, WIL, as a trusted industry partner to ISRO, has also geared up for increased annual delivery rates to cater to flight hardware requirements.
WIL’s association with ISRO began in 1973 with SLV3 and has been continuing to all programs such as ASLV, PSLV, GSLV MK-II and GSLV MK-III. ISRO considers WIL as an impeccable and highly trustworthy industry partner. WIL family has jubilantly celebrated ISRO’s success for Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan too.
WIL, a 110 years old heavy engineering industry is also playing an indispensable role in various programs of national importance like Missile Projects, Strategic Platforms for Defence and Nuclear Power plants.
