ISRO launches GSAT-7R, India’s heaviest communication satellite, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• ISRO successfully launched the GSAT-7R (CMS-03) communication satellite for the Indian Navy from Sriharikota on Sunday.
• The GSAT-7R, weighing approximately 4,400 kg, is India’s heaviest communication satellite launched from Indian soil.
• The satellite was launched aboard ISRO’s LVM3 launch vehicle on its M5 mission at 5.26 p.m.
• GSAT-7R will provide secure telecommunication coverage across the Indian Ocean Region.

Detailed Insights:

• The GSAT-7R is equipped with indigenous components and advanced payload features supporting voice, data, and video links over multiple communication bands.
• The satellite ensures seamless connectivity between the Navy’s ships, submarines, aircraft, and Maritime Operations Centres.
• The launch demonstrates India’s self-reliance in space technology and the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding national maritime interests.
• The LVM3 rocket can now routinely handle four-tonne-plus satellites to GTO, reducing dependence on foreign launchers.
• This launch also aids ISRO’s preparations for Gaganyaan, its maiden human spaceflight programme, which plans to use an evolved LVM3 variant.
• The GSAT-7R enhances situational awareness and provides secure, high-capacity communication links in complex maritime environments, aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO): An elliptical orbit used to transfer a satellite to its final geostationary orbit.
• Transponders: Devices on a satellite that receive, amplify, and retransmit signals.
• Maritime Domain Awareness: Understanding anything associated with the maritime environment that could impact security, safety, economy, or environment.