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

• The Indian Space Research Organisation kicked off the 2020 launch calendar by sending the GSAT 30 communications satellite into space.
• The satellite launched from the Guiana Space Center at 2:35am along with Eutelsat's communications satellite.
• The mission lasted a total of 38 minutes.
• Here's a look at the first launch of 2020 as Business Insider followed it every step of the way.

India and Europe successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) GSAT 30 and the Eutelsat Konnect satellites into space. This is the first launch of 2020..

"Its the first time that we have launched so early in the year... It’s also the 40th year of Arianespace, the anniversary is in March," said Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, ahead of the launch.

This was the 23rd launch of an ISRO satellite by Arianespace — the commercial arm of the European Space Agency (ESA). Overall, it was the 251st launch in the Ariane-series.

"The mission will be around 38 minutes… We are going to lift at 6:05 am, the weather is great — it's absolutely perfect. I have a launch window of 1 hour 55 minutes and we will lift off towards the east," Israël explained.

GSAT 30 is aimed at providing connectivity in even the most remote regions of the country. Using GSAT 30’s bands, Indian cable operators will be able to broadcast their content to the Gulf countries, Australia and other regions within Asia. It is ISRO’s 41st communications satellite.

Here’s a play-by-play of the first launch of 2020: