Home
slideshows
Play-by-play ISRO's GSAT-30 launch, from lift-off to reaching Earth's orbit

Play-by-play ISRO's GSAT-30 launch, from lift-off to reaching Earth's orbit

The GSAT 30 is a homegrown satellite by designed and manufactured by ISRO.

Once it was ready, it had to be shipped to Guiana Space Center in South America.

^{Source: ISRO}

After reaching, Arianespace’s launch port last week, the GSAT 30 was fitted aboard the Ariane 5ECA rocket.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

On 16 January, the Ariane 5 rocket was docked on the launch pad as Arianespace conducted last-minute preparations.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

The Guiana Space Center extends over 700 kilometres squares — about half the size of Delhi.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

At approximately 2:35am, Ariane 5ECA took off from the northern coast of South America in a fiery thrust.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

It blazed a trail across the equatorial sky coming out on the other side of the clouds.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Powering its way into space, Ariane 5 broke the sound barrier and was travelling at Mach 1 one minute into the launch.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Two minutes after lift-off, the rocket’s boosters ran out of propellant — detaching and falling away 70 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. The main stage Vulcan engine now kicked into gear.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Ariane 5 lost three-quarters on its weight in just over two minutes — the lighter it is, the faster it will fly.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Once the rocket was 215 kilometres high, the main engine separated from the main body. The Ariane 5 was now using the upper stage HM7B engine to propel itself.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

With four minutes left for the upper stage engine, ground operators signalled with a ‘thumbs up’ that all was going well.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

After another 16 minutes, the cut-off command was sent to the engine once Ariane 5 was in the correct orientation.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Once the upper stage engine burnt out, Ariane 5 was in the ‘ballistic stage’ where it has to move around using its own momentum.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

After coasting for two minutes, the first payload — GSAT 30’s fellow passenger the Eutelsat Konnect satellite — was deployed at an altitude of 1000 kilometres.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

GSAT 30, however, was still inside SYLDA — a layer of protection for the satellite in the lower position.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Flying over the Pacific Ocean, along the eastern end of Africa, SLYDA separated from Ariane 5, 29 minutes into the launch.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Ariane 5 then had to undergo another set of manoeuvres to position itself correctly to launch GSAT 30.

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

After a cumulative 38 minutes, GSAT 30 separated from the main spacecraft and launched into geosynchronous transitory orbit (GTO).

^{Source: ESA/CNES/Arianespace}

Play-by-play ISRO's GSAT-30 launch, from lift-off to reaching Earth's orbit

The GSAT 30 is a homegrown satellite by designed and manufactured by ISRO.

Once it was ready, it had to be shipped to Guiana Space Center in South America.

After reaching, Arianespace’s launch port last week, the GSAT 30 was fitted aboard the Ariane 5ECA rocket.

On 16 January, the Ariane 5 rocket was docked on the launch pad as Arianespace conducted last-minute preparations.

The Guiana Space Center extends over 700 kilometres squares — about half the size of Delhi.

At approximately 2:35am, Ariane 5ECA took off from the northern coast of South America in a fiery thrust.

It blazed a trail across the equatorial sky coming out on the other side of the clouds.

Powering its way into space, Ariane 5 broke the sound barrier and was travelling at Mach 1 one minute into the launch.

Two minutes after lift-off, the rocket’s boosters ran out of propellant — detaching and falling away 70 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. The main stage Vulcan engine now kicked into gear.

Ariane 5 lost three-quarters on its weight in just over two minutes — the lighter it is, the faster it will fly.

Once the rocket was 215 kilometres high, the main engine separated from the main body. The Ariane 5 was now using the upper stage HM7B engine to propel itself.

With four minutes left for the upper stage engine, ground operators signalled with a ‘thumbs up’ that all was going well.

After another 16 minutes, the cut-off command was sent to the engine once Ariane 5 was in the correct orientation.

Once the upper stage engine burnt out, Ariane 5 was in the ‘ballistic stage’ where it has to move around using its own momentum.

After coasting for two minutes, the first payload — GSAT 30’s fellow passenger the Eutelsat Konnect satellite — was deployed at an altitude of 1000 kilometres.

GSAT 30, however, was still inside SYLDA — a layer of protection for the satellite in the lower position.

Flying over the Pacific Ocean, along the eastern end of Africa, SLYDA separated from Ariane 5, 29 minutes into the launch.

Ariane 5 then had to undergo another set of manoeuvres to position itself correctly to launch GSAT 30.

After a cumulative 38 minutes, GSAT 30 separated from the main spacecraft and launched into geosynchronous transitory orbit (GTO).

READ MORE ARTICLES ON

Popular Right Now