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First signals from GSAT-1

The first signals from GSAT-1, which was blasted into space by GSLV-D1 from Sriharikota on Wednesday, indicated normal performance of the satellite, the Indian Space Research Organisation said in Bangalore.

ISRO said further operations like orbital manoeuvres to take the satellite from the geo-synchronous transfer orbit to its final geo-stationary orbit at 36,000 km, using the on-board apogee motor and deployment of its appendages like solar array, solar sail and the antenna would be carried out in the coming days.

The Master Control Facility of ISRO at Hassan, some 180 km from Bangalore, will take control of GSAT-1 at around 0230 hours IST on Thursday and the Liquid Apogee Motor on board would be fired five hours later to raise the orbit level, MCF director M Y S Prasad told PTI over the telephone from Hassan.

After the first LAM firing, the LAM would be fired again in the morning of April 20 to raise the orbit level further. And finally, on April 21 the LAM would be fired for the third time to place the spacecraft in its final geo-stationary orbit at 36,000 km, Prasad said.

The MCF is the focal point for mission analysis, operations scheduling and providing ground support for all geo-synchronous satellite programmes of ISRO, it was stated.

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The Indian Space Research Organisation

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